Reaction norm in response to temperature may change to adapt rapid brood development to boreal and subarctic climates in Myrmica ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

• Published in: European journal of entomology Vol. 99; no. 2; pp. 197 - 208
• Main Authors: Kipyatkov, V.E. (St. Petersburg State Univ., (Russia). Dept. of Entomology), Lopatina, E.B
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Institute of Entomology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Science 01.01.2002
• Subjects: ants; development rate; ENVIRONMENTAL TEMPERATURE; ESPECE; ESPECIES; EXPERIMENTACION EN LABORATORIO; EXPERIMENTATION EN LABORATOIRE; FEDERACION DE RUSIA; FEDERATION DE RUSSIE; formicidae; LABORATORY EXPERIMENTATION; LARVAE; LARVAS; LARVE; latitude; MYRMICA; myrmica rubra; myrmica ruginodis; myrmica scabrinodis; OVA; OVULE; OVULO; PERFORMANCE DE REPRODUCTION; PUPAE; PUPAS; PUPE; rapid brood rearing; reaction norm; REPRODUCTIVE PERFORMANCE; REPRODUCTIVIDAD; RUSSIAN FEDERATION; SPECIES; TEMPERATURA AMBIENTAL; temperature; TEMPERATURE AMBIANTE; thermal constants; thermal threshold; UCRANIA; UKRAINE
• ISSN: 1210-5759; 1802-8829
• DOI: 10.14411/eje.2002.028

Colonies of M. rubra, M. ruginodis and M. scabrinodis were collected in four geographic regions in Ukraine and Russia. After artificial overwintering experimental cultures consisting of 150 workers and one queen were kept at 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, and 26 deg C under long (22 h) day lengths. The period during which new rapid brood pupae appeared was found to be longer and the total number of pupae produced to be greater in ants from more southern populations. Low temperatures reduced the period of rapid brood production and the number of pupae reared to a greater degree in ants from northern populations. Eggs and larvae from more northern sites appeared to develop faster than southern brood at temperatures above 16-18 deg C. We conclude that the reaction norm of Myrmica colonies, in response to temperature, changes according to the local climate in such a way that brood rearing, growth and development of individuals become more temperature dependent in more severe environments with colder and shorter summers. In fact Myrmica colonies from northern populations need on average higher temperatures in their nests for successful production of new adults as compared to southern ants.