Transcript Ants: Argies vs Pogos - University of California, Los Angeles

Ants: Argies vs Pogos
Native Harvesters Ants at CCMS
Biodiversity
• The number of different species that live in
a habitat.
• High = Good
Low = Bad
The Value of Increased
Biodiversity
1.Healthy Ecosystem
- fight off disease
- natural disasters
2. Protect Resources
-clean water
-clean air
3. Food and Medicine
- new food and medicine
- economy for people
Native Species
• locally adapted to their environment.
• They are connected to the other native
species here and are dependent on each
other for survival, shelter and food.
• Native species increase biodiversity
Non-Native Species
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They come from another habitat.
Invasives -grow out of control
Use up space
No natural enemies
They prevent native species from growing
• Non-native species decrease biodiversity.
Harvester Ants and Horned
Lizards
Seed-harvesting ants can influence the abundance and distribution of plant species through both the
selective harvesting of seeds and the construction of nutrient-rich nest mounds
Argentine ant and Harvesters
Argentine ant and Harvesters
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Argies and horned lizards
Argies and horned lizards
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Culver City Middle School
• CCMS has harvesters
• But only in one location
• Collect data as research scientists
What to study?
Location 1
With Harvester
Ants
Location 2
No Harvester Ants
Harvester Ant Data
Butterfly Garden
Grassy Area
Ground Temp
Number of plants
Soil pH
Light and Moisture
Ground Temp
Number of plants
Soil pH
Light and Moisture
Today
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Danger – ants bite and sting
Fill out sheet
Answer questions
Compile data as a class
Harvester Ant Data
• Combine the data
• What did we find?
Butterfly Garden
Grassy Area
Future Work
• What can we recommend to try and get
harvester ants to persist at CCMS?
• Monitor them and argies
• Not get rid of habitat
• Make more habitat
• Prevent argeis from coming in
• Make a sign so others are aware