The NSF has awarded a CAREER grant to Prof. Rieser to use experimental and computational techniques to establish links between architecture and functionality of the complex nest structures created by red imported fire ant colonies. Specifically, this research seeks to understand how above- and below-ground nests are organized to achieve mechanical robustness and to facilitate the flow of individuals, information, and air. This work will also explore how these structures differ across environments and how they may be modified to manage environmental perturbations. This project also supports a newly established outreach partnership with The Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta that will focus on activities that are closely integrated with the project.
More about fire ants: Red imported fire ants are robust and adaptable social insects that excavate large below-ground nests composed of dense networks of tunnels and chambers. These ants are highly invasive; originally native to Brazil, they have been inadvertently transported via ships across the globe and have established footholds in North and Central America, several Caribbean islands, Asia, Australia, and have very recently been found in Europe. Studies over the past several decades have noted the significant negative impacts of fire ants on the health and diversity of local wildlife as well as their great potential for further expansion. While nests must be crucial for a colony’s survival, nest size and soil opacity have prevented detailed investigation or theoretical understanding of nest structures, the functions they serve, and how they contribute to fire ants’ success.