Lions are being forced to change the way they hunt. It's all because of a tiny invasive ant, scientists say.

A tiny invasive ant muscled into a Kenyan savannah and sparked such a dramatic transformation in the landscape that even the local lions changed the way they hunt, according to research published Thursday.

The study highlights the potentially profound impacts of invasive species, which are spreading at an increasing rate as human activities give animals, insects and plants opportunities to hitchhike into new territories.

"Oftentimes, we find it's the little things that rule the world," said Todd Palmer, an ecologist from the University of Florida, who was part of the research team that traced the implications of the big-headed ant on the hunting habits of lions in central Kenya.