1
You So Crazy!

• Paratrechina longicornus (Crazy Ant) Exchange
  from Biosphere 2 to Surrounding Area
• SEE-U 2000

2
SEE-U 2000 B2C
Onamia, Taylor, Amelia, Nicole, Angela, Tim, Don
And, James!
3
Introduction to Crazy Ants

• Paratrechina longicornus
• Introduced species from India or Africa
• Highly adaptable to various living conditions
• Characterized by erratic movements and unusually
  long antenna
• Accidentally introduced into Biosphere 2 in 1991,
  crowding out all other ant species
• To this date, the Crazy Ants are the dominant
  insects in all the B2C biomes

4
Questions

• Is there an exchange of Crazy Ants between
  Biosphere 2 and surrounding area? How do they
  enter?
• Do the Crazy Ants change the total amount of
  biomass and liquids in Biosphere 2 in a given
  time?

5
Questions

• What is the influx rate of the total biomass
  carried into B2C by Crazy Ants?
• How much additional biomass is brought into B2C
  via Crazy Ants?

6
Assumptions

• Crazy Ants enter Biosphere 2 once a day
• Rate of entrance is constant
• Time of day, season, and conditions do not affect
  rate
• Each ant is capable of carrying an equivalent
  amount of biomass and liquid
• All entrances into B2C were located

7
Methodology

• Entry points are enumerated by visual observation
• Engorged, normal, and foraging ants are counted
  during ten 30-minute periods
• Engorged and normal ants are collected, frozen,
  and weighed
• Biomass carried by foraging ants is collected and
  weighed

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Results

• Engorged ants are 159 the weight of normal ants
• Engorged ants comprise 29.5 of the returning
  foragers
• There were 24 entry holes into B2C
• Total estimated biomass entering B2c per year
  equals 6.37 kg.
• Total estimated liquid weight entering B2C per
  year 37.96 kg.
• Total estimated number of individuals entering
  B2C per year 131.69 million
• Gross underestimates

9
Total Biomass
10
Rate of Entry
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Conclusions

• Biosphere 2 is greatly impacted by the influx of
  biomass and liquid brought in by the Crazy Ants
• The exchange between Biosphere 2 and its
  surroundings is not limited to gas-exchange

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Fin!