The urban island: climatic suitability of Linepithema humile (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) and the role of cities in the invasion of the Western Palearctic.

ABSTRACT: Urban environments often present environmental conditions that facilitate the introduction and establishment of nonnative and invasive species. These can expand their range into areas with unfavorable climates by taking advantage of the ecological and climatic homogenization of cities, bypassing the ecological barriers presented by the surrounding environment. One way to monitor the expansion of these species is using potential distribution models. We used as a model species the Argentine ant, Linepithema humile (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) whose invasion has caused serious consequences for biodiversity and economic losses worldwide. We used the average result of six different algorithms and used climatic variables and population density as a proxy for the urbanization level in the Western Pa

SUBMITTER: Lopez-Collar D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12618962 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature