Objetivo
The primary aim of the project is the establishment of a joint research programme between two of the leading groups of social-insect biologists of the NIS and three from INTAS in order to facilitate the establishment of a wider network of communications between social-insect biologists of both academic communities.
For the first time in many years scientists have the opportunity to study European species over their entire geographical range. This research project will enable a collaborative study to be undertaken to determine how ants have evolved to be so successful at living in variable seasonal climates. The study will make full use of the wide geographical spread of the participants to make an intensive investigation on the widespread, temperate red ant genus Myrmica. The results will be used to predict the effects of global warming on temperate ant populations. These could be significant because ants are very abundant and they have played a central role in most natural communities for at least 50 million years. At their own scale they have as great an effect upon the environment as do humans at their scale of existence and consequently many plants and insects have evolved to depend upon ants.
The research programme will be tackled by establishing five sub-projects designed to investigate relevant aspects of the ant's ecology, physiology, reproduction and morphology. Each will bring together a different combination of collaborators from western Europe and from the NIS and will be led by the most appropriate expert. In addition, a network of NIS observers will be recruited to make field observations of natural populations; these scientists could form the basis of a further wider network of co-operation.
Tema(s)
Convocatoria de propuestas
Data not availableRégimen de financiación
Data not availableCoordinador
BH20 5AS Wareham
Reino Unido