Verkefnið maurar í þéttbýli er byggt á samstarfi meistaraverkefni Marco Mancini við námsbraut í líffræði við Háskóla Íslands.

Verkefnið fór í gang vorið 2020 með fulltingi Nýsköpunarsjóðs námsmannna og vinnumálastofununar.

Colonization of ants in Reykjavík: increasing understanding of nature, engaging citizens and pest control agents

A critical problem in the modern age is how disconnected humans are from nature. This is exemplified by two disasters: human-induced climate change and infectious diseases spread from animals to humans with severe consequences. Biological invasions, often disease vectors, are a threat to biodiversity and human colonization of the planet has enabled non-indigenous animal species to invade and colonize new areas and habitats. In the last years, species of  “tropical” ants have been found in Iceland but knowledge about their distribution is limited. This project is in parallel to an M.Sci. project of the student, aimed at studying invasive insects (ants and fruitflies) in Iceland. The aims of the NSN project are to:

A) foster public awareness of urban biology
B) implement a citizen science project that will help locals to appreciate management of invasive species in urban areas
C) increase understanding of colonizing species and their effects
D) help pest control agents in their activities