A flatwoods longleaf pine plantation surveyed in 1984 (left panel, false color) and again in 2012 (right panel, true color), showing <i>S. invicta</i> colonies detected in 1984 (white symbols) and 2012 (red symbols).

<p>Note the furrowed soil and small size of the trees in 1984. White lines indicate transects surveyed both in 1984 and 2012, and the red line shows the boundaries of the12: Aerial photo purchased from USDA Forest Service. Right panel: satellite image from the Land Boundary Information System (<a href="http://www.labins.org/" target="_blank">www.labins.org/</a>), Hilliardville, FL, True Color DOQQ 5136. Conditions for use are as follows: “Since this data was developed and collected with U.S. Government and the State of Florida funding, no proprietary rights may be attached to it, nor may it be sold to the U.S. Government or the Florida State Government as part of any procurement of products or services.”</p

bait checks Nov. 5, 2013, May 30, and Oct. 2014 with zeros

All plots were baited for ants several times to determine the presence and abundance of fire ants and other ants

Mound counts in the “addition plots” in 2006 and 2012.

<p>Mounds were not counted in “non-addition” plots in 2006.</p

ANOVA for number of <i>S. invicta</i> in pitfalls in 2006 in relation to habitat manipulation and addition of fire ant colonies.

<p>The significant interaction term is the result of higher fire ant numbers in non-addition plowed plots.</p

Mature colony transplantations.

<p>A. Number of colonies added to treatment plots by year. Initial additions were the same for all plots, but controls required more additions in subsequent years. B. Existing colonies were counted before additions. Persistence of transplanted colonies was higher in the mow and plow plots than in the controls.</p

Presence of <i>S. invicta</i> in compartment 232, plots 1–7.

<p>Contour lines show the elevation (cm) above the wetlands to the lower right and bottom. Boldface numbers next to plots 1, 3 and 6 are the number of fire ant mounds present in 2006. Left panel: <i>S. invicta</i> abundance in pitfalls in 2006. The size of the symbol indicates the number captured (legend at upper left). Right panel: mounds detected by survey in 2006 (blue symbols) and 2012 (red symbols). Although only “add colonies” plots were surveyed for mounds in 2006, the low 2006 capture rates in pitfalls of “non-addition” plots suggests that few mounds were present in those plots. Survey of plots 6 and 7 in 2013 found most of the colonies to be polygyne.</p

The total abundance and dry mass of macroinvertebrates, from all plots, listed alphabetically by Class or Order.

<p>Ants are listed separately, as a Family, from other Hymenoptera.</p

The myrmecosphere is centered upon ant nests constructed at the soil surface and below ground.

<p>(1) Prey and carrion, plant material, plant and insect exudates are brought into the colony. (2) Below-ground prey and carrion, plant material, plant and animal exudates are brought into the colony. (3) Materials brought into the colony are assimilated into the soil over time. (4) Feces, saliva, and other excretions are produced within the colony. (5) Soil, corpses, and midden material are returned to the soil surface.</p

Arrangement of 25

<p> <b>cm² quadrat samples within 100 </b><b>m² plots.</b></p

Species of ants and termites captured at the four study sites.

<p>Ant species noted with an asterisk (*) are polydomous (multiple nests per colony). Ant species noted with a † are polygyne (multiple queens per colony).</p