A new study suggests wildlife corridors encourage the propagation of invasive species.

Wildlife corridors are areas of habitat that connect wildlife populations and separate animals from human activities or structures.

Invasive species refers to flora and fauna that are harmful to the economy, health and the environment.

Like Us on Facebook

Conducted by University of Florida researchers led by Julian Resasco, the study sought to discover the reasons why some invasive species benefit from the corridors and others don't.

Researchers described the situation of wildlife corridors and invasive species as a "a classic example of unintended consequences."

Florida has been experiencing problems related to invasive species. It's being invaded by non-indigenous animals such as feral hogs, Burmese pythons, green iguanas and ever tree frogs.

Researchers from the University of Florida explored eight sites for the study, each site about the size of football field. Some sites are connected to the corridors and some are not.

Each site is dominated by one or two types of fire ants.

Resasco and other researchers were quite surprised because the results display the incredible skills of invasive species in conquering new areas without the help of corridors.

There are two kinds of fire ants: monogyne ants fly in order to disperse while polygyne ants are ground crawlers.

Monogyne ants scatter into the air to form new colonies while polygyne ants mate in the ground and crawl short distances ground to add colonies.

Monogyne ants quickly spread compared to polygyne ants.

The researchers found out that polygyne ants used the corridors wisely to spread more quickly. Areas colonized by polygyne ants in the connected areas have a lower native ant diversity compared to unconnected ones.

The spread of invasive species via wildlife corridors depend on the ability of species to disperse, said Resasco.

"It is not a coincidence that the readily dispersing monogyne form of fire ants doesn't benefit from corridors, whereas the poorly dispersing polygyne form does," Resasco added.

Further studies are required to find out the real effects of wildlife corridors on the spread of invasive species.

TagsMonogyne, Polygyne, Fire Ants, invasive species, Wildlife corridors, Science, flora and fauna, University of Florida, science research