O'Dowd, D.J, Green, P.T., & Lake, P.S. 2003 Invasional 'meltdown' on an oceanic island.. Ecology Letters 6(9): 812-817.

Notes: Islands can serve as model systems for understanding how biological invasions affect community structure and ecosystem function. Here we show invasion by the alien crazy ant Anoplolepis gracilipes causes a rapid, catastrophic shift in the rain forest ecosystem of a tropical oceanic island, affecting at least three trophic levels. In the forest canopy, new associations between this invasive ant and honeydew-secreting scale insects accelerate and diversify impacts. Sustained high densities of foraging ants on canopy trees result in high population densities of host-generalist scale insects and growth of sooty moulds, leading to canopy dieback and even death of canopy trees.