Impact Of Imported Fire Ants On The Texture And Fertility Of Mississippi Soils

Impacts of the imported fire ants (Solenopsis Spp.) on the pH, clay content, organic matter, phosphorus (P), potassium (K), sulfur (S), calcium (Ca), and magnesium (Mg) concentrations of nine soil series from five soil orders in Mississippi were studied. Mounds were typically higher in clay, P, and K, and lower in organic matter and S than the adjacent soils. Replicated studies on an Ultisol and an Alfisol confirmed the significance (proportional to=0.05) of these effects in most cases. Effects on Ca were strongly dependent on the characteristics of the initial soil. As the ants relocate their mounds, these effects may be transmitted to entire soil landscapes through time.