01414nas a2200145   4500008004100000245009600041210006900137260001800206300001200224490000700236520087000243100001601113700001401129856012501143       2002                        eng d00aBottom-up effects on persistence of a specialist predator: Ant invasions and horned lizards0 aBottomup effects on persistence of a specialist predator Ant inv  cFebruary 2002  a291-2980 v123 a*[We examined how Argentine ants influence horned lizard growth rates by raising hatchlings on prey typical of invaded & uninvaded sites.  Hatchling horned lizards maintained positive growth rates on a diet of just one native ant species, Crematogaster californica.  However, on a diet of Argentine ants or arthropods typical of an invaded community, horned lizard growth rates were either negative or averaged near zero.  In addition, when lizards were switched from a diet of Argentine ants to native ants, growth rates increased.  One factor contributing to growth was foraging rate; capture success appears partly responsible for why horned lizards specialize on ants vs. other, harder to capture, arthropods.  Moreover, a comparison of diets among age classes of coastal horned lizards suggests a diversity of ants is necessary to support lizard populations. ]1 aSuarez, A V1 aCase, T J  uhttps://antkey.myspecies.info/th/content/bottom-effects-persistence-specialist-predator-ant-invasions-and-horned-lizards