Assessing Molecular Diversity in Native and Introduced Populations of Red Wood Ant Formica paralugubris.

ABSTRACT: The Formica rufa group comprises several ant species which are collectively referred to as "red wood ants" and play key roles in boreal forest ecosystems, where they are ecologically dominant and greatly influence habitat dynamics. Owing to their intense predatory activity, some of these species are used as biocontrol agents against several forest insect pests and for this aim in Italy, nearly 6000 ant nests were introduced from their native areas in the Alps to several Appeninic sites during the last century. In this work, we assessed and compared the genetic variability and structure of native and introduced populations of F. paralugubris, thus evaluating the extent of genetic drift that may have occurred since the time of introduction, using amplified fragment length polym

SUBMITTER: Masoni A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9687034 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature