Defensive strategies of leaf-cutter ants against parasitoid attacks
The main objective of my postdoctoral project is to determine how leaf-cutter ants defend themselves against phorid fly parasitoids and what factors affect their defensive behaviors. Specifically, I am studying if (1) leaf-cutter ants respond individually and...
Effects of ant nests on soil properties and nearby vegetation
Ants, through the building and expansion of their nests, modify the soil physical structure. Additionally, the organic waste that ant produce ncreases the nutrient level of the nearby soil. Using field observations and greenhouse experiments, we study how these soil...