Background
Wood ants (Formica rufa group) are dominant insects in boreal forests of Fennoscandia, as well as in many coniferous and mixed forests of Central Europe and Asia, where they are regarded as key-species. They have been the focus of extensive research, concerning their social structure, geographical distribution and density, population dynamics and behaviour, forest health and biodiversity. However, our knowledge of the role of wood ants in the carbon and nutrient cycling in boreal forests and on the impact of the ant-aphid-relationship on the growth of trees and biodiversity of boreal forest ecosystems is still limited.
Kuva: Metla/Timo Domisch |
Wood ants live in a mutual relationship with aphids living on trees, protecting them against their enemies, and tending them for honeydew. Thus the ant-aphid mutualism induces C and N fluxes from trees, which can reduce the growth of trees. Since the ants are strong competitors, the biodiversity of the canopy-living invertebrate fauna is controlled by ants. These interactions indicate that red wood ants probably play an important role in the functional biodiversity of boreal forests.
 Kuva: Metla/Timo Domisch
Aphid-infested birch seedling |
 Kuva: Metla/Timo Domisch Ants and aphids on mature Scots pine |
