Search results for "muurahaiset"

Survival and gene expression under different temperature and humidity regimes in ants

2017

Short term variation in environmental conditions requires individuals to adapt via changes in behavior and/or physiology. In particular variation in temperature and humidity are common, and the physiological adaptation to changes in temperature and humidity often involves alterations in gene expression, in particular that of heat-shock proteins. However, not only traits involved in the resistance to environmental stresses, but also other traits, such as immune defenses, may be influenced indirectly by changes in temperature and humidity. Here we investigated the response of the ant F. exsecta to two temperature regimes (20 degrees C & 25 degrees C), and two humidity regimes (50% & 75%), for…

Origin and distribution of desert ants across the Gibraltar Straits

2017

The creation of geographic barriers has long been suspected to contribute to the formation of new species. We investigated the phylogeography of desert ants in the western Mediterranean basin in order to elucidate their mode of diversification. These insects which have a low dispersal capacity are recently becoming important model systems in evolutionary studies. We conducted an extensive sampling of species belonging to the Cataglyphis albicans group in the Iberian Peninsula (IP) and the northern Morocco (North Africa; NA). We then combined genetic, chemical and morphological analyses. The results suggest the existence of at least three and five clades in the IP and NA, respectively, whose…

Starvation resistance and tissue-specific gene expression of stress-related genes in a naturally inbred ant population

2016

Starvation is one of the most common and severe stressors in nature. Not only does it lead to death if not alleviated, it also forces the starved individual to allocate resources only to the most essential processes. This creates energetic trade-offs which can lead to many secondary challenges for the individual. These energetic trade-offs could be exacerbated in inbred individuals, which have been suggested to have a less efficient metabolism. Here, we studied the effect of inbreeding on starvation resistance in a natural population of Formica exsecta ants, with a focus on survival and tissue-specific expression of stress, metabolism and immunity-related genes. Starvation led to large tis…

Rämeiden ojituksen ja ennallistamisen vaikutukset elinympäristön rakenteeseen, kasvillisuuteen ja muurahaisiin

2016

Effects of interspecific relationships in forested landscapes on breeding success in Eurasian treecreeper

2005

Jatkuvat vanhoihin metsiin kohdistuvat metsänhakkuut kaventavat puukiipijöiden ja kekomuurahaisten elinmahdollisuuksia. Havaitsin tämän väitöstyössäni, jonka teemoina olivat puukiipijän ja kekomuurahaisten välinen ravintokilpailu puiden rungoilla ja petojen, lähinnä kärpän, lumikon ja käpytikan vaikutus puukiipijän pesintämenestykseen pesäpönttöpopulaatiossa. Tutkimus on toteutettu Keski-Suomen metsissä Konneveden, Hankasalmen ja Laukaan kunnan alueella vuosina 1990-2003. T his study is focused on the effects of predation to the breeding success of Eurasian treecreeper and resource competition between red wood ants, Formica rufa -group and treecreepers. One of the most important factors in …