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Army Ants: Tiny Species, Huge Ecological Impact

Asa Gray Lecture to Present Research Findings

Written By Gino Geruntino '10, PR Intern

Contact - cleogrande@utica.edu

Utica, NY (10/15/2009) - On Oct. 19, Utica College welcomes Daniel Kronauer to campus, as he presents an intriguing look into the lives of army ants and their role in protecting Earth’s ecosystems.
   
A Junior Fellow at the Harvard Society of Fellows, Kronauer, along with a research group at the Museum of Comparative Zoology Labs, learned that army ants play an extremely integral role in the tropical ecosystems around the world. Without them, certain functions that normally occur in habitats may cease to be, causing an entirely different ecosystem to prevail.
 
Complex and interesting, army ants are defined by their many behavioral, physiological and morphological qualities. Army ants will attack together as a group of predators against invertebrates, keeping the ecosystem in balance. They also habitually relocate their nests, following the lead of their flightless queen to each new location. Additionally, because of the overwhelming number of male ants in each colony, the queen may be inseminated by multiple males, allowing the colony to grow. 
  
With the recent advances in the study of these amazing creatures, Kronauer will discuss the causes and effects of the evolution in the life history of army ants.

As part of the Asa Gray series of lectures, this event is free and open to all students, faculty, and the public. “Army Ants: Studies in Molecular Ecology and Evolution” will take place in the Donahue Auditorium, located in the Gordon Science Center, at 4 p.m., Oct. 19. 
  
For more information about this event, call (315) 792-3028 or visit www.utica.edu/culture.