EMINENT: Consequences of an EMerging parasite on an INvasivE aNT in Europe

• Applicant: Dr. Simon Tragust
• Subject Area: Ecology and Biodiversity of Animals and Ecosystems, Organismic Interactions ; Evolution, Anthropology ; Parasitology and Biology of Tropical Infectious Disease Pathogens
• Term: since 2023
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 520989725

Biological invasions and emerging infectious diseases are widely recognized as two of the most significant biological threats to biodiversity, with increasing numbers and subsequent impacts expected worldwide. Consequently, there is a pressing need to understand how biological invasions and emerging infectious diseases influence, interact, and impact each other and the native biodiversity. In Europe a novel disease, the ectoparasitic fungus Laboulbenia formicarum, has recently emerged on the invasive garden ant Lasius neglectus, a pest ant species whose establishment negatively affects the European native ant community. The consequences of this emergent disease for the success of the invasive garden ant and the well-being of European native ants are so far unknown. Aim of this project is to gain insight into the impact of Lab. formicarum emergence using a combination of field monitoring, laboratory experiments, and molecular work. Specifically, capitalizing on previous work, I will monitor changes in invasion extent of Las. neglectus in multiple infected and uninfected locations over time, determine whether these changes correlate with changes in genetic diversity and measure whether invasive ant laboratory nest performance can explain field observation and genetic patterns. This will not only clarify the consequences of Lab. formicarum disease emergence for the success of the invasive garden ant but also fill a major research gap existing in most studies on emerging infectious diseases and biological invasions, namely long-term impact evidence. In addition, I will determine whether Lab. formicarum emergence on the invasive garden ant leads to disease amplification and transmission for European native ants and whether this affects their community composition potentially aggravating the negative effects of Las. neglectus invasion for European ants. Taken together, this project on an emerging infectious disease in a social insect system that can be studied under field and laboratory conditions, will contribute to a sorely needed, more comprehensive understanding of biological invasions and emerging infectious diseases and help to foster cross-fertilization of these disciplines which has been advocated repeatedly but is so far mostly lacking.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants