@article {3642,
	title = {Spatial dynamics of supercolonies of the invasive yellow crazy ant, <i>Anoplolepis gracilipes</i>, on Christmas Island, Indian Ocean},
	journal = {Diversity and Distributions},
	volume = {12},
	year = {2006},
	note = {Part of FORMIS 06; from-DPW, verified-DPW.},
	month = {January 2006},
	pages = {101-110},
	abstract = {<p>*[This study examines the spatial dynamics of high-density supercolonies of the invasive yellow crazy ant, Anoplolepis gracilipes, on Christmas Island, Indian Ocean, and the associated impacts at their boundaries. Since the early 1990\&$\#$39;s, A. gracilipes supercolonies have occupied over 30\% of the 10,000-ha of rainforest on Christmas Island. Thirty-four discrete high-density supercolonies formed between 1989 \&amp; 2003, ranging in size across nearly 3-orders of magnitude from 0.9 to 787-ha. Supercolonies boundaries are diffuse, \&amp; ants were observed in low densities in some cases up to 200-m from the main high-density supercolony. The 13 boundaries examined were all dynamic over a 10-20 observation month period, 9 boundaries expanded, \&amp; the maximum rate of spread was 0.5-m day-1. Across boundary transition zones, between high-density supercolonies \&amp; intact rainforest, A. gracilipes reduced other ant species richness, occupied red crab burrows, \&amp; killed resident red crabs, which was the trigger for \&$\#$39;invasional meltdown\&$\#$39; on Christmas Island. The highly variable \&amp; unpredictable nature of A. gracilipes boundaries poses a challenge for incorporation into a predictive framework, as well as for their management. Gives good evidence that mating flights do occur as well as colony budding.]</p>
},
	author = {Abbott, K.L.}
}
