38th Annual Student Research Conference
Interactions between chick health, arthropod diversity, and ant abundance in house wren nests.
Trace N. Ackley* and Anasofia Carrillo
Dr. Joey Hubbard, Faculty Mentor
Bird nests serve an important function for breeding birds but can also act as their own ephemeral ecosystems. In addition to adult and nestling birds, a nest can host a variety of arthropod species resulting in complex species interactions that influence the arthropod community. This study aims to understand the relationship between house wrens (Troglodytes aedon) breeding in Northeast Missouri, and ants (Tapinoma sessile) observed inhabiting the nests. We collected and dissected house wren nests after nestlings fledge to determine the arthropod community composition and abundance within each nest. We assessed the health of the chicks compared to the abundance of ants and arthropods, as well as the interactions between ant abundance and arthropod diversity. We found no interaction between chick health metrics and ant abundance, but found higher ant abundance led to lower arthropod diversity within the nests.
Keywords: Bird, arthropod
Topic(s):Biology
Presentation Type: Oral Presentation
Session: 207-5
Location: MG 2001
Time: 11:15