1
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Leal LC, Koski MH. Linking pollen limitation and seed dispersal effectiveness. Ecol Lett 2024; 27:e14347. [PMID: 38073068 DOI: 10.1111/ele.14347] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2023] [Revised: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 11/16/2023] [Indexed: 12/20/2023]
Abstract
Seed production and dispersal are crucial ecological processes impacting plant demography, species distributions and community assembly. Plant-animal interactions commonly mediate both seed production and seed dispersal, but current research often examines pollination and seed dispersal separately, which hinders our understanding of how pollination services affect downstream dispersal services. To fill this gap, we propose a conceptual framework exploring how pollen limitation can impact the effectiveness of seed dispersal for endozoochorous and myrmecochorous plant species. We summarize the quantitative and qualitative effects of pollen limitation on plant reproduction and use Optimal Foraging Theory to predict its impact on the foraging behaviour of seed dispersers. In doing so, we offer a new framework that poses numerous hypotheses and empirical tests to investigate links between pollen limitation and seed dispersal effectiveness and, consequently, post-dispersal ecological processes occurring at different levels of biological organization. Finally, considering the importance of pollination and seed dispersal outcomes to plant eco-evolutionary dynamics, we discussed the implications of our framework for future studies exploring the demographic and evolutionary impacts of pollen limitation for animal-dispersed plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura C Leal
- Departamento de Ecologia e Biologia Evolutiva, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- Department of Biological Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina, USA
| | - Matthew H Koski
- Department of Biological Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina, USA
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2
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Barbosa BC, Delgado de Lima TD, Mota GV, Nogueira A. The role of intraspecific variation in bumblebee body size and behavior on buzz pollination of a tropical legume species. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BOTANY 2023; 110:e16236. [PMID: 37661849 DOI: 10.1002/ajb2.16236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2023] [Revised: 08/08/2023] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 09/05/2023]
Abstract
PREMISE The outcomes of generalized mutualisms rely on partner trait variation. In pollination mutualisms, although less explored, intraspecific variation in pollinator traits can be pivotal for successful pollination. We investigated the role of intraspecific body size and behavioral trait variations of bumblebee Bombus morio on the pollination of a buzz-pollinated legume species, Chamaecrista latistipula. METHODS To explore the impact of body size and behavior of B. morio on the pollination of C. latistipula, we observed visits to virgin flowers and quantified the pollen removal and deposition (pollination performance) and fruit and seed production (reproductive fitness). By analyzing video and sound recordings, we measured B. morio body size and behavior on each flower, including bee vibration descriptors. RESULTS We observed intraspecific behavioral differences among B. morio bumblebees associated with different body sizes. Larger bumblebees had half the handling time and vibrational pulses, less angular displacement within flowers, and larger relative peak amplitudes during vibrations than smaller bumblebees did. Regardless of their large variation in size and behavior, bumblebees were equally effective in removing pollen and pollinating flowers. The high female reproductive fitness was independent of bumblebee body size and behavior, likely due to the interaction between both. On the other hand, larger bumblebees visited flowers for shorter periods, probably promoting higher male reproductive fitness. CONCLUSIONS This study is the first to highlight the large intraspecific variation of bumblebee body size and behavior in buzz-pollinated flowers in the field. Together, body size and behavior effects unexpectedly cancel each other, generating a high buzz pollination efficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruna C Barbosa
- Laboratório de Interações Planta-Animal (LIPA), Centro de Ciências Naturais e Humanas, Universidade Federal do ABC, São Bernardo do Campo, SP, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Evolução e Diversidade, Centro de Ciências Naturais e Humanas, Universidade Federal do ABC, São Bernardo do Campo, SP, Brazil
| | - Tamiris D Delgado de Lima
- Laboratório de Interações Planta-Animal (LIPA), Centro de Ciências Naturais e Humanas, Universidade Federal do ABC, São Bernardo do Campo, SP, Brazil
- Programa de Graduação em Ciências Biológicas (Botânica), Instituto de Biociências, UNESP - Universidade Estadual Paulista, Botucatu, SP, Brazil
| | - Guilherme V Mota
- Laboratório de Interações Planta-Animal (LIPA), Centro de Ciências Naturais e Humanas, Universidade Federal do ABC, São Bernardo do Campo, SP, Brazil
| | - Anselmo Nogueira
- Laboratório de Interações Planta-Animal (LIPA), Centro de Ciências Naturais e Humanas, Universidade Federal do ABC, São Bernardo do Campo, SP, Brazil
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3
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Parmentier T. Differential transport of a guild of mutualistic root aphids by the ant Lasius flavus. Curr Zool 2023; 69:409-417. [PMID: 37614922 PMCID: PMC10443613 DOI: 10.1093/cz/zoac060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2022] [Accepted: 07/29/2022] [Indexed: 08/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Mutually beneficial associations are widespread in ecological networks. They are typically assembled as multispecies guilds of symbionts that compete for one or more host species. The ant Lasius flavus engages in an intriguing and obligate mutualistic association with a community of aphids that are cultivated on plant roots in its nests. The ant displays a repertoire of amicable behaviors toward the aphids, including their transport. I examined whether L. flavus preferentially carried some of the root aphids. Using a no-choice and a choice experiment, I comparatively analyzed the transport rate of 5 obligate and one loosely associated species back to the ant nest and used the transport rate of the ant larvae as a reference. All associated root aphids were carried back to the nest, but in a clear preferential hierarchy. Geoica utricularia, Forda Formicaria, and Trama rara were rapidly transported, but slower than the own larvae. Tetraneura ulmi and Geoica setulosa were collected at a moderate rate and the loosely associated Aploneura lentisci was slowly retrieved. In contrast, different species of unassociated aphids were not transported and even provoked aggressive behavior in L. flavus. This study revealed that co-occurring symbionts may induce different degrees of host attraction, which ultimately may affect the coexistence and assembly of ant-symbiont communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Parmentier
- Research Unit of Environmental and Evolutionary Biology, Namur Institute of Complex Systems, and Institute of Life, Earth, and the Environment, University of Namur, Rue de Bruxelles 61, B-5000 Namur, Belgium
- Terrestrial Ecology Unit (TEREC), Department of Biology, Ghent University, K.L. Ledeganckstraat 35, B-9000 Gent, Belgium
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Bona K, Delabie JH, Cazetta E. Effects of anthropogenic disturbances on diaspore removal by ants: A meta-analysis. ACTA OECOLOGICA 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.actao.2023.103893] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/16/2023]
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5
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Almeida RPS, Teresa FB, Camarota F, Izzo TJ, Silva RR, Andrade-Silva J, de Arruda FV. The role of morphological traits in predicting the functional ecology of arboreal and ground ants in the Cerrado-Amazon transition. Oecologia 2023; 201:199-212. [PMID: 36520222 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-022-05304-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2022] [Accepted: 12/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
There is often a vertical stratification of the vegetation in tropical forests, where each forest stratum has a unique set of environmental conditions, including marked differences in habitat heterogeneity, physical complexity, and microclimate. Additionally, many tropical forests are highly seasonal, and we need to consider the temporal variation in environmental conditions when assessing the functional aspects of their organisms. Here, we tested the hypothesis that vertical stratification and seasonality shape tropical ants' functional ecology and that there are differences in the functional trait diversity and composition between arboreal and ground-dwelling ant communities. We collected ants in the arboreal and ground strata in the rainy and dry seasons in six different areas, measuring seven morphological traits to characterize their functional ecology and diversity. Irrespective of the season, we found a distinct functional composition between arboreal and ground-dwelling ants and a higher functional richness on the ground. However, ground ants were more functionally redundant than arboreal ants. The differences in functional richness and redundancy between ant inhabiting strata and season could also be observed in the community-weighted mean traits: arboreal and ground ant traits can be distinguished in Weber's length, mandible length, eye length, and eye position on the head capsule. The differences in these functional traits are mainly related to the ants' feeding habits and the complexity of their foraging substrates. Overall, by providing the first systematic comparison of continuous traits between arboreal and ground-dwelling ants, our study opens new investigation paths, indicating important axes of functional diversification of tropical ants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rony P S Almeida
- Laboratório de Morfologia e Ecologia Funcional de Formigas (AntMor), Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi, Av. Perimetral, 1901, Terra Firme, Belém, PA, Brazil
| | - Fabrício B Teresa
- Universidade Estadual de Goiás, Campus Central, Anápolis, GO, Brazil
| | - Flávio Camarota
- Departamento de Genética, Ecologia e Evolução, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
| | - Thiago Junqueira Izzo
- Departamento de Botânica e Ecologia, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso, Cuiabá, MT, Brazil
| | - Rogério R Silva
- Laboratório de Morfologia e Ecologia Funcional de Formigas (AntMor), Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi, Av. Perimetral, 1901, Terra Firme, Belém, PA, Brazil
| | - Joudellys Andrade-Silva
- Laboratório de Morfologia e Ecologia Funcional de Formigas (AntMor), Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi, Av. Perimetral, 1901, Terra Firme, Belém, PA, Brazil
| | - Filipe Viegas de Arruda
- Instituto de Pesquisa Ambiental da Amazônia (IPAM), Asa Norte Comércio Local Norte 211 BL B Sala 201-Asa Norte, Brasília, DF, 70863-520, Brazil
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Queiroz ACM, Rabello AM, Lasmar CJ, Cuissi RG, Canedo-Júnior EO, Schmidt FA, Ribas CR. Diaspore Removal by Ants Does Not Reflect the Same Patterns of Ant Assemblages in Mining and Rehabilitation Areas. NEOTROPICAL ENTOMOLOGY 2021; 50:335-348. [PMID: 33725288 DOI: 10.1007/s13744-021-00861-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2020] [Accepted: 02/09/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Mining is responsible for drastic ecosystem changes and rehabilitation is used to promote the return of functions after these impacts. In this scenario, we investigated the responses of ant assemblages and diaspore removal by ants to the transformations caused by mining and rehabilitation predicting that (a) the increase in plant density (a proxy for mining intensity) led to an increase in ant richness, percentage of diaspores removed, and changes in species composition that in turn are correlated with changes in environmental variables; (b) the increase in vegetation structure (a proxy for rehabilitation ages) led to an increase in ant richness, percentage of diaspores removed, and changes in species composition that in turn are correlated with changes in environmental variables. Additionally, we also verified which functional groups were primarily responsible for diaspore removal. We sampled arboreal and epigeic ants, diaspore removal by ants, and environmental variables. We found that ant richness and diaspore removal in mining intensity gradient are positively correlated to plant density. Although vegetation structure is positively correlated with ant richness, we found no changes in diaspore removal in rehabilitation gradient. Epigeic omnivore and epigeic generalist predator ants were the most responsible for diaspore removal. Then, we observed that mining decreases ant richness, altering ant assemblages and their functions, and rehabilitation with exotic plants is ineffective to promote the colonization by the main diaspore-removing ants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antônio C M Queiroz
- Lab de Ecologia de Formigas, Depto de Ecologia e Conservação, Instituto de Ciências Naturais, Univ Federal de Lavras, Lavras, MG, 37200-900, Brazil.
| | - Ananza M Rabello
- Lab de Ecologia de Formigas, Depto de Ecologia e Conservação, Instituto de Ciências Naturais, Univ Federal de Lavras, Lavras, MG, 37200-900, Brazil
- Instituto de Estudos do Xingu, Univ Federal do Sul e Sudeste do Pará, São Félix do Xingu, PA, 68380-000, Brazil
| | - Chaim J Lasmar
- Lab de Ecologia de Formigas, Depto de Ecologia e Conservação, Instituto de Ciências Naturais, Univ Federal de Lavras, Lavras, MG, 37200-900, Brazil
| | - Rafael G Cuissi
- Lab de Ecologia de Formigas, Depto de Ecologia e Conservação, Instituto de Ciências Naturais, Univ Federal de Lavras, Lavras, MG, 37200-900, Brazil
- Instituto de Ciências Agrárias e Tecnológicas, Campus Universitário de Rondonópolis, Univ Federal do Mato Grosso, Rondonópolis, MT, 78735-901, Brazil
| | - Ernesto O Canedo-Júnior
- Lab de Ecologia de Formigas, Depto de Ecologia e Conservação, Instituto de Ciências Naturais, Univ Federal de Lavras, Lavras, MG, 37200-900, Brazil
- Depto de Educação e Ciências Humanas, Univ do Estado de Minas Gerais - Unidade Poços de Caldas, Poços de Caldas, MG, 37714-620, Brazil
| | - Fernando A Schmidt
- Lab de Ecologia de Formigas, Depto de Ecologia e Conservação, Instituto de Ciências Naturais, Univ Federal de Lavras, Lavras, MG, 37200-900, Brazil
- Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Natureza, Lab de Ecologia de Formigas, Univ Federal do Acre, Rio Branco, AC, 69920-900, Brazil
| | - Carla R Ribas
- Lab de Ecologia de Formigas, Depto de Ecologia e Conservação, Instituto de Ciências Naturais, Univ Federal de Lavras, Lavras, MG, 37200-900, Brazil
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Prior KM, Meadley-Dunphy SA, Frederickson ME. Interactions between seed-dispersing ant species affect plant community composition in field mesocosms. J Anim Ecol 2020; 89:2485-2495. [PMID: 32745258 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2020] [Accepted: 07/06/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
In generalized mutualisms, species vary in the quality of services they provide to their partners directly via traits that affect partner fitness and indirectly via traits that influence interactions among mutualist species that play similar functional roles. Myrmecochory, or seed dispersal by ants, is a generalized mutualism with ant species varying in the quality of dispersal services they provide to their plant partners. Variation in ant species identity can directly impact seed dispersal patterns and plant community composition; however, we know less about how interactions among seed-dispersing ant species indirectly influence plant partners. The invasive ant Myrmica rubra, is a high-quality seed-disperser in its native range that interacts with myrmecochores (ant-dispersed plants) and the high-quality seed disperser Aphaenogaster sp. in its invaded range. We use this system to examine how interactions between two functionally similar mutualist ant species influence the recruitment and community composition of ant-dispersed plants. We performed a field mesocosm experiment and a laboratory behavioural experiment to compare discovery and dominance behaviours between ant species, and seed dispersal and seedling recruitment of four myrmecochore species among intraspecific interaction treatments of each ant species and an interspecific interaction treatment. We found that M. rubra was better at discovering and dispersing seeds, but Aphaenogaster sp. was dominantly aggressive over M. rubra. Interspecific interactions dampened seed dispersal relative to dispersal by the better disperser. Despite this dampening, we found no effect of interspecific interactions on seedling recruitment. However, community composition of seedlings in the interspecific interaction treatment was more similar to composition in the aggressively dominant ant (Aphaenogaster sp.) treatment than in the better discoverer ant M. rubra treatment. We show that interspecific interactions between mutualist species in the same functional guild affect the outcome of mutualistic interactions with partner species. Despite the native ant dispersing fewer seeds, its dominance over the subordinate (invasive) ant has the potential to allow for some level of biotic resistance against the effects of M. rubra on plant communities when these species coexist.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kirsten M Prior
- Department of Biological Sciences, Binghamton University, State University of New York, Binghamton, NY, USA.,Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Shannon A Meadley-Dunphy
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Department of Biology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Megan E Frederickson
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
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8
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Anjos DV, Leal LC, Jordano P, Del‐Claro K. Ants as diaspore removers of non‐myrmecochorous plants: a meta‐analysis. OIKOS 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.06940] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Diego V. Anjos
- Estación Biológica de Doñana, EDB‐CSIC ES‐41092 Sevilla Spain
- Programa de Pós‐graduação em Entomologia, Univ. de São Paulo Ribeirão Preto SP Brazil
| | - Laura C. Leal
- Depto de Ecologia e Biologia Evolutiva, Univ. Federal de São Paulo Diadema SP Brazil
| | - Pedro Jordano
- Estación Biológica de Doñana, EDB‐CSIC ES‐41092 Sevilla Spain
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9
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Miller CN, Whitehead SR, Kwit C. Effects of seed morphology and elaiosome chemical composition on attractiveness of five Trillium species to seed-dispersing ants. Ecol Evol 2020; 10:2860-2873. [PMID: 32211161 PMCID: PMC7083703 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.6101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2019] [Revised: 01/18/2020] [Accepted: 01/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Morphological and chemical attributes of diaspores in myrmecochorous plants have been shown to affect seed dispersal by ants, but the relative importance of these attributes in determining seed attractiveness and dispersal success is poorly understood. We explored whether differences in diaspore morphology, elaiosome fatty acids, or elaiosome phytochemical profiles explain the differential attractiveness of five species in the genus Trillium to eastern North American forest ants. Species were ranked from least to most attractive based on empirically-derived seed dispersal probabilities in our study system, and we compared diaspore traits to test our hypotheses that more attractive species will have larger diaspores, greater concentrations of elaiosome fatty acids, and distinct elaiosome phytochemistry compared to the less attractive species. Diaspore length, width, mass, and elaiosome length were significantly greater in the more attractive species. Using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, we found significantly higher concentrations of oleic, linoleic, hexadecenoic, stearic, palmitoleic, and total fatty acids in elaiosomes of the more attractive species. Multivariate assessments revealed that elaiosome phytochemical profiles, identified through liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, were more homogeneous for the more attractive species. Random forest classification models (RFCM) identified several elaiosome phytochemicals that differed significantly among species. Random forest regression models revealed that some of the compounds identified by RFCM, including methylhistidine (α-amino acid) and d-glucarate (carbohydrate), were positively related to seed dispersal probabilities, while others, including salicylate (salicylic acid) and citrulline (L-α-amino acid), were negatively related. These results supported our hypotheses that the more attractive species of Trillium-which are geographically widespread compared to their less attractive, endemic congeners-are characterized by larger diaspores, greater concentrations of fatty acids, and distinct elaiosome phytochemistry. Further advances in our understanding of seed dispersal effectiveness in myrmecochorous systems will benefit from a portrayal of dispersal unit chemical and physical traits, and their combined responses to selection pressures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chelsea N. Miller
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary BiologyUniversity of TennesseeKnoxvilleTNUSA
| | - Susan R. Whitehead
- Department of Biological SciencesVirginia Tech UniversityBlacksburgVAUSA
| | - Charles Kwit
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary BiologyUniversity of TennesseeKnoxvilleTNUSA
- Department of Forestry, Wildlife and FisheriesUniversity of TennesseeKnoxvilleTNUSA
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10
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Leal LC, Silva DP, Peixoto PE. When the company does not matter: High-quality ant seed-disperser does not drive the spatial distribution of large-seeded myrmecochorous plants. AUSTRAL ECOL 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/aec.12847] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Laura C. Leal
- Departamento de Ecologia e Biologia Evolutiva; Universidade Federal de São Paulo; Rua Conceição, 215, 09972-270 Diadema Brazil
| | - Daniel Paiva Silva
- COBIMA Lab; Departamento de Ciências Biológicas; Instituto Federal Goiano; Urutaí Goiás Brazil
| | - Paulo E.C. Peixoto
- Departamento de Genética; Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais; Ecologia e Evolução Belo Horizonte Brazil
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11
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Invasive ants disperse seeds farther than native ants, affecting the spatial pattern of seedling recruitment and survival. Oecologia 2019; 192:119-132. [PMID: 31720779 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-019-04553-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2019] [Accepted: 11/05/2019] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Mutualists can vary in the quantity and quality of service which they provide to their partners. Variation in seed disperser quality depends on seed-processing traits, dispersal distance, and deposition location, all of which ultimately affect plant fitness. Here, we compared these aspects of seed dispersal quality between a native and an invasive ant species, and examined how they affect competition and plant performance. Using experimental mesocosm communities, we examined how these two ant species affect the spatial pattern of recruitment and establishment for four myrmecochorous plant species, including one invasive species. We measured the locations of dispersed seedlings relative to ant nests, adult plants, and other dispersed seedlings, as well as measured the effects of location on plant performance. The invasive ant, Myrmica rubra, secondarily dispersed seeds farther from its nests, creating a less clumped pattern of seedling recruitment compared to the native ant, Aphaenogaster rudis. Plant species responded differently to dispersal. Invasive seedlings recruited farther from adult plants than native seedlings, and had higher survival the farther they were from conspecifics. In contrast, native plants had higher survival and grew taller when dispersed farther from invasive plants. We show that seed-dispersing ant partners differ in mutualist quality creating differences in dispersal distance and deposition location that affects a plant's competitive environment. Our results reveal the potential for long-term consequences on plant community structure with changing ant partner identity. We emphasize the need to examine dispersal quality in addition to quantity to uncover the importance of partner identity in structuring communities.
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Sasidharan R, Venkatesan R. Seed Elaiosome Mediates Dispersal by Ants and Impacts Germination in Ricinus communis. Front Ecol Evol 2019. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2019.00246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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13
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Levine N, Ben-Zvi G, Seifan M, Giladi I. Investment in reward by ant-dispersed plants consistently selects for better partners along a geographic gradient. AOB PLANTS 2019; 11:plz027. [PMID: 31139335 PMCID: PMC6534284 DOI: 10.1093/aobpla/plz027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2019] [Revised: 03/25/2019] [Accepted: 04/29/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Seed dispersal by ants (myrmecochory) is an asymmetric, presumably mutualistic interaction, where a few ant species benefit many plants. Myrmecochorous plants express specialized adaptations, most notably a large elaiosome, which promote interactions with efficient seed dispersers while decreasing interactions with poor dispersers, resulting in de facto partner choice. However, because variation in plants' investment in reward and ant response to them may vary spatially and temporally, it is unclear whether such specialization is consistent along geographic gradients; especially towards myrmecochory's range margin. To answer this question on context-dependent partner choice, we first estimated variation in reward investment by co-occurring myrmecochores along a steep environmental gradient in a Mediterranean region. Second, we tested whether variation in plant investment in reward was positively and consistently correlated with the quality of dispersal plant received along the same gradient. Using in situ cafeteria experiments, we simultaneously presented diaspores of locally co-occurring myrmecochorous species to ants of two guilds representing high- and low-quality dispersers. We then recorded ant-seed behaviour, seed preference and seed removal rates for each ant guild. We found both overall and within-site high variation among plant species in the total and relative investment in elaiosomes. Both ant guilds removed substantial proportion of the seeds. However, scavenging ants (high-quality dispersers) clearly preferred diaspores with larger elaiosomes, whereas granivorous ants (low-quality dispersers) exhibited no preference. Furthermore, both the variation in plant traits and the corresponding response of different ant guilds were consistent along the studied geographic gradient. This consistency holds even when granivores, which removed seeds in a non-selective fashion and provided apparently low-quality seed dispersal services, were, at least numerically, the dominant ant guild. This dominance and the consistency of the partner choice shed light on the functionality of elaiosomes at the margins of myrmecochory's distribution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nataly Levine
- Mitrani Department of Desert Ecology, Swiss Institute for Dryland Environmental and Energy Research, Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Sede Boqer Campus, Midreshet Ben-Gurion, Israel
| | - Gilad Ben-Zvi
- Mitrani Department of Desert Ecology, Swiss Institute for Dryland Environmental and Energy Research, Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Sede Boqer Campus, Midreshet Ben-Gurion, Israel
| | - Merav Seifan
- Mitrani Department of Desert Ecology, Swiss Institute for Dryland Environmental and Energy Research, Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Sede Boqer Campus, Midreshet Ben-Gurion, Israel
| | - Itamar Giladi
- Mitrani Department of Desert Ecology, Swiss Institute for Dryland Environmental and Energy Research, Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Sede Boqer Campus, Midreshet Ben-Gurion, Israel
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14
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Chen S, Pahlevani AH, Malíková L, Riina R, Thomson FJ, Giladi I. Trade‐off or coordination? Correlations between ballochorous and myrmecochorous phases of diplochory. Funct Ecol 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.13353] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Si‐Chong Chen
- Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew Wakehurst Place UK
- Mitrani Department of Desert Ecology, Swiss Institute for Dryland Environmental and Energy Research, Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research Ben‐Gurion University of the Negev Midreshet Ben‐Gurion Israel
| | - Amir H. Pahlevani
- Department of Botany, Iranian Research Institute of Plant Protection Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization Tehran Iran
| | - Lenka Malíková
- Mitrani Department of Desert Ecology, Swiss Institute for Dryland Environmental and Energy Research, Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research Ben‐Gurion University of the Negev Midreshet Ben‐Gurion Israel
- Department of Biological Disciplines, Faculty of Agriculture University of South Bohemia České Budějovice Czech Republic
| | | | | | - Itamar Giladi
- Mitrani Department of Desert Ecology, Swiss Institute for Dryland Environmental and Energy Research, Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research Ben‐Gurion University of the Negev Midreshet Ben‐Gurion Israel
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Oliveira FMP, Andersen AN, Arnan X, Ribeiro-Neto JD, Arcoverde GB, Leal IR. Effects of increasing aridity and chronic anthropogenic disturbance on seed dispersal by ants in Brazilian Caatinga. J Anim Ecol 2019; 88:870-880. [PMID: 30883729 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.12979] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2018] [Accepted: 01/31/2019] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Anthropogenic disturbance and climate change are the main drivers of biodiversity loss and ecological services around the globe. There is concern that climate change will exacerbate the impacts of disturbance and thereby promote biotic homogenization, but its consequences for ecological services are unknown. We investigated the individual and interactive effects of increasing chronic anthropogenic disturbance (CAD) and aridity on seed dispersal services provided by ants in Caatinga vegetation of north-eastern Brazil. The study was conducted in Catimbau National Park, Pernambuco, Brazil. Within an area of 214 km2 , we established nineteen 50 × 20 m plots that encompassed gradients of both CAD and aridity. We offered diaspores of six plant species, three myrmecochorous diaspores and three fleshy fruits that are secondarily dispersed by ants. We then quantified the number of interactions, seed removal rate and dispersal distances, and noted the identities of interacting ant species. Finally, we used pitfall trap data to quantify the abundances of ant disperser species in each plot. Our results show that overall composition of ant disperser species varied along the gradients of CAD and aridity, but the composition of high-quality dispersers varied only with aridity. The total number of interactions, rates of removal and mean distance of removal all declined with increasing aridity, but they were not related to CAD. These same patterns were found when considering only high-quality disperser species, driven by the responses of the dominant disperser Dinoponera quadriceps. We found little evidence of interactive effects of CAD and aridity on seed dispersal services by ants. Our study indicates that CAD and aridity act independently on ant-mediated seed dispersal services in Caatinga, such that the impacts of anthropogenic disturbance are unlikely to change under the forecast climate of increased aridity. However, our findings highlight the vulnerability of seed dispersal services provided by ants in Caatinga under an increasingly arid climate due to low functional redundancy in high-quality disperser species. Given the large number of plant species dependent on ants for seed dispersal, this has important implications for future plant recruitment and, consequently, for the composition of Caatinga plant communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fernanda M P Oliveira
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Vegetal, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, PE, Brazil
| | - Alan N Andersen
- Research School of Environment and Livelihoods, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, NT, Australia
- CSIRO Land & Water, Tropical Ecosystems Research Centre, Darwin, NT, Australia
| | - Xavier Arnan
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Vegetal, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, PE, Brazil
- CREAF, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Catalunya, Spain
| | - José D Ribeiro-Neto
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Vegetal, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, PE, Brazil
- Departamento Fitotecnia e Ciências Ambientais, Universidade Federal da Paraíba, Areia, PB, Brazil
| | - Gabriela B Arcoverde
- Research School of Environment and Livelihoods, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, NT, Australia
- CSIRO Land & Water, Tropical Ecosystems Research Centre, Darwin, NT, Australia
| | - Inara R Leal
- Departamento de Botânica, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, PE, Brazil
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Rocha MLC, Cristaldo PF, Cruz JS, Sacramento JJM, Ferreira DV, Araújo APA. Ants Associated with Turnera subulata (Turneraceae): Elaiosome Attraction, Seed Dispersion and Germination. NEOTROPICAL ENTOMOLOGY 2018; 47:750-756. [PMID: 29982978 DOI: 10.1007/s13744-018-0616-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2018] [Accepted: 06/11/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Symbiosis between plants and ants include examples in which the plant provides shelter and/or food for ants that, in turn, act in the defense or in the dispersion of seeds from the host plant. Although traditionally referred as mutualistic, the results of these interactions may vary with the ecological context in which patterns are involved. A range of species have facultative association with Turnera subulata (Turneraceae). Here, using behavioral bioassays, we investigated the effects of the most frequent ant species associated with T. subulata (Brachymyrmex sp.1, Camponotus blandus (Smith), Dorymyrmex sp.1, Crematogaster obscurata Emery, and Solenopsis invicta Buren) in the dispersion of plant host seeds and in the number of seedlings around the associated ant nests. We also evaluated the effects of these ant species in the germination of T. subulata seeds, in the consumption of elaiosome, and in the attractiveness to elaiosome odor. Our results showed that the ant species associated with T. subulata presented variation in the attraction by the odor and in the rate of consumption of the elaiosomes. However, none of the ant species studied contributed significantly to the increase of seed germination and seedling growth. Our results suggest that the consumption of the elaiosome by ant species is not a determinant factor to the success of germination of T. subulata. However, such species could contribute indirectly to seed germination by carrying seeds to sites more fertile to germination. In general, our results help to elucidate the results of ecological interactions involving ants and plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- M L C Rocha
- Lab de Interações Ecológicas, Depto de Ecologia, Univ Federal de Sergipe, São Cristóvão, Sergipe, Brasil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia e Conservação, Univ Federal de Sergipe, São Cristóvão, Sergipe, Brasil
| | - P F Cristaldo
- Lab de Interações Ecológicas, Depto de Ecologia, Univ Federal de Sergipe, São Cristóvão, Sergipe, Brasil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Agricultura e Biodiversidade, Univ Federal de Sergipe, São Cristóvão, Sergipe, Brasil
| | - J S Cruz
- Lab de Interações Ecológicas, Depto de Ecologia, Univ Federal de Sergipe, São Cristóvão, Sergipe, Brasil
| | - J J M Sacramento
- Lab de Interações Ecológicas, Depto de Ecologia, Univ Federal de Sergipe, São Cristóvão, Sergipe, Brasil
| | - D V Ferreira
- Lab de Interações Ecológicas, Depto de Ecologia, Univ Federal de Sergipe, São Cristóvão, Sergipe, Brasil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia e Conservação, Univ Federal de Sergipe, São Cristóvão, Sergipe, Brasil
| | - A P A Araújo
- Lab de Interações Ecológicas, Depto de Ecologia, Univ Federal de Sergipe, São Cristóvão, Sergipe, Brasil.
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Miller CN, Kwit C. Overall seed dispersal effectiveness is lower in endemic Trillium species than in their widespread congeners. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BOTANY 2018; 105:1847-1857. [PMID: 30383896 DOI: 10.1002/ajb2.1188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2018] [Accepted: 08/20/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
PREMISE OF THE STUDY Comparing ecological attributes of endemic species with related, widespread species can reveal differences accounting for rarity. Forests of the southeastern United States are home to many range-restricted endemic and widespread species of Trillium, a genus of ant-dispersed herbs. Evidence suggests that aspects of seed-related life history stages are often correlated with plant rarity, but few studies have tested whether the process of seed dispersal differs for endemic and widespread species. To address this question, we compared aspects of seed dispersal effectiveness (SDE) for three sympatric, widespread endemic Trillium species pairs. METHODS We observed seed dispersal for Trillium species pairs by ants at eight sites, recorded numbers of seeds dispersed and dispersal distances, and described disperser interactions. To test disperser preference, we presented seeds of each pair to captive colonies of Aphaenogaster picea, a keystone disperser. Seeds were assigned scores based on worker behavior, and we recorded proportions of seeds dispersed after 1 h and 24 h. KEY RESULTS Field observations yielded some significant within-pair differences. Ants dispersed more seeds of widespread species for all pairs, although dispersal distances did not differ. In laboratory experiments, after 24 h, ants dispersed more seeds of widespread species into nests. CONCLUSIONS Endemic Trillium species had lower overall SDE than did their widespread congeners. These findings add to the list of ecological and demographic challenges that face endemic plants when compared to common congeners. Lower SDE may negatively impact reproductive rates and the colonization of new habitats, which may contribute to patterns of endemism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chelsea N Miller
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, 37996, USA
| | - Charles Kwit
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, 37996, USA
- Department of Forestry, Wildlife and Fisheries, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, 37996, USA
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Anjos D, Dáttilo W, Del-Claro K. Unmasking the architecture of ant-diaspore networks in the Brazilian Savanna. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0201117. [PMID: 30089146 PMCID: PMC6082530 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0201117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2017] [Accepted: 07/09/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Ant–diaspore interactions are directly related to fruit consumption, seed predation and dispersal, being determinant for the plant fitness. However, although abundant and diversified, these ecological interactions have been neglected in network studies. Understanding the structure of these networks is the first step in preserving these ecological functions. However, describing the network structure is not enough; we need to understand what mechanisms are behind the network patterns. In this study, for the first time, we describe the structure of the ant–diaspore network, considering only the interactions that can benefit plants, separating it into fruit consumption and diaspore removal networks in the Brazilian Savanna. We postulated that ant–diaspore interactions tend to be more specialized in the diaspore removal network compared to the fruit consumption network. Furthermore, we tested whether morphological features, such as size of mandibles of ants and diaspores, could modulate these ecological networks. Overall, we recorded 24 ant and 29 plant species interacting. We found that fruit consumption and diaspore removal networks exhibited similar patterns of interactions (i.e., non-modular), although only the diaspore removal network was nested. The diaspore removal network did not show a more specialized pattern than the fruit consumption network, since both networks consisted of opportunistic interactions. We found that ant mandible and diaspore size does not explain the structure of ecological networks, but in diaspore removal networks the relationship between these morphological traits may explain the pattern of interactions. Thus, we showed that mandible size of ants may have implications on seedling recruitment, suggesting that mandible size can predict possible effects on plant fitness within in diaspore removal networks. Overall, ant–diaspore networks maintain important ecological functions, such as fruit consumption and seed dispersal, which often implies an increase in reproductive success of the plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diego Anjos
- Universidade de São Paulo, Programa de Pós-graduação em Entomologia, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
- * E-mail:
| | - Wesley Dáttilo
- Red de Ecoetología, Instituto de Ecología AC, Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico
| | - Kleber Del-Claro
- Universidade de São Paulo, Programa de Pós-graduação em Entomologia, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
- Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Uberlândia, MG, Brazil
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Melati BG, Leal LC. Aggressive bodyguards are not always the best: Preferential interaction with more aggressive ant species reduces reproductive success of plant bearing extrafloral nectaries. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0199764. [PMID: 29949639 PMCID: PMC6021078 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0199764] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2018] [Accepted: 06/13/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Variation in partner species and frequency of interaction between species pairs are potential drivers of the net outcome of generalized mutualisms. In ant-plant mutualisms, the quality of defence provided by ants is related to ant aggressiveness. Hence, we hypothesize that the performance of plants bearing extrafloral nectaries will be higher when they interact more frequently with more aggressive ant species. We estimated ant aggressiveness in the field by observing their behaviour towards soil baits. Afterwards, we observed the frequency with which individuals from these ant species visited plants through an entire reproductive cycle. We measured the production and persistence of plants reproductive structures through this period and the total seed production. Increasing in the interaction frequency with highly aggressive ants reduced the number of floral buds and seeds produced. Increased visitation frequency by less aggressive ants increased the number of floral buds and seeds per branch. The inverse relationship between ant aggressiveness and seed production may be influenced by the costs imposed by different mutualistic partners. Thus, frequent interaction with highly aggressive ants may lead to a higher accumulation of costs through time, resulting in a negative net outcome for the plants. Our results bring new evidence highlighting the importance to incorporate temporal aspects in the study of mutualistic interactions. We suggests that the quality of mutualistic partners must be understood as a function of its per-interaction benefit and their cumulative costs to their partner over time, what puts in check our current classification regarding partner quality in mutualistic systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruno Gabriel Melati
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Ecologia e Evolução, Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Estadual de Feira de Santana, Novo Horizonte, Bahia, Brazil
| | - Laura Carolina Leal
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Ecologia e Evolução, Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Estadual de Feira de Santana, Novo Horizonte, Bahia, Brazil
- Departamento de Ecologia e Biologia Evolutiva, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Diadema, São Paulo, Brazil
- * E-mail:
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21
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Zwolak R. How intraspecific variation in seed-dispersing animals matters for plants. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2017; 93:897-913. [DOI: 10.1111/brv.12377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2017] [Revised: 09/13/2017] [Accepted: 09/18/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Rafał Zwolak
- Department of Systematic Zoology, Faculty of Biology; Adam Mickiewicz University, Umultowska 89; 61-614 Poznań Poland
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22
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Phenological specialisation of two ant-dispersed sedges in relation to requirements for qualitative and quantitative dispersal effectiveness. Ecol Res 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/s11284-017-1479-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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23
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Seed dispersal distances by ant partners reflect preferential recruitment patterns in two ant-dispersed sedges. Evol Ecol 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/s10682-016-9846-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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Fire in the Amazon: impact of experimental fuel addition on responses of ants and their interactions with myrmecochorous seeds. Oecologia 2016; 182:335-46. [DOI: 10.1007/s00442-016-3638-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2016] [Accepted: 04/19/2016] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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25
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Camargo PHSA, Martins MM, Feitosa RM, Christianini AV. Bird and ant synergy increases the seed dispersal effectiveness of an ornithochoric shrub. Oecologia 2016; 181:507-18. [DOI: 10.1007/s00442-016-3571-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2015] [Accepted: 01/24/2016] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
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26
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Chen G, Huang SZ, Chen SC, Chen YH, Liu X, Sun WB. Chemical composition of diaspores of the myrmecochorous plant Stemona tuberosa Lour. BIOCHEM SYST ECOL 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bse.2015.11.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
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Affiliation(s)
- Inara R. Leal
- Departamento de Botânica; Universidade Federal de Pernambuco; Av. Prof. Moraes Rego s/n Cidade Universitária 50670-901 Recife PE Brazil
| | - Laura C. Leal
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Vegetal; Universidade Federal de Pernambuco; Av. Prof. Moraes Rego s/n Cidade Universitária 50670-901 Recife PE Brazil
| | - Alan N. Andersen
- CSIRO Land and Water Flagship; Tropical Ecosystems Research Centre PMB 44; Winnellie NT 0822 Australia
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