1
|
Calixto ES, de Oliveira Pimenta IC, Lange D, Marquis RJ, Torezan-Silingardi HM, Del-Claro K. Emerging Trends in Ant-Pollinator Conflict in Extrafloral Nectary-Bearing Plants. Plants (Basel) 2024; 13:651. [PMID: 38475497 DOI: 10.3390/plants13050651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2024] [Revised: 02/23/2024] [Accepted: 02/25/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024]
Abstract
The net outcomes of mutualisms are mediated by the trade-offs between the costs and benefits provided by both partners. Our review proposes the existence of a trade-off in ant protection mutualisms between the benefits generated by the ants' protection against the attack of herbivores and the losses caused by the disruption of pollination processes, which are commonly not quantified. This trade-off has important implications for understanding the evolution of extrafloral nectaries (EFNs), an adaptation that has repeatedly evolved throughout the flowering plant clade. We propose that the outcome of this trade-off is contingent on the specific traits of the organisms involved. We provide evidence that the protective mutualisms between ants and plants mediated by EFNs have optimal protective ant partners, represented by the optimum point of the balance between positive effects on plant protection and negative effects on pollination process. Our review also provides important details about a potential synergism of EFN functionality; that is, these structures can attract ants to protect against herbivores and/or distract them from flowers so as not to disrupt pollination processes. Finally, we argue that generalizations regarding how ants impact plants should be made with caution since ants' effects on plants vary with the identity of the ant species in their overall net outcome.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Denise Lange
- Department of Biology, Federal University of Technology-Parana, Campus Santa Helena, Santa Helena, Curitiba 80230-901, PR, Brazil
| | - Robert J Marquis
- Department of Biology and the Whitney R. Harris World Ecology Center, University of Missouri, St. Louis, MO 63121, USA
| | - Helena Maura Torezan-Silingardi
- Postgraduation Program in Entomology, Department of Biology, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto 14040-900, SP, Brazil
- Institute of Biology, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Uberlândia 38405-240, MG, Brazil
| | - Kleber Del-Claro
- Postgraduation Program in Entomology, Department of Biology, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto 14040-900, SP, Brazil
- Institute of Biology, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Uberlândia 38405-240, MG, Brazil
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Cardoso PB, Calixto ES, Torezan-Silingardi HM, Del-Claro K. Context-Dependent Ant-Pollinator Mutualism Impacts Fruit Set in a Hummingbird-Pollinated Plant. Plants (Basel) 2023; 12:3688. [PMID: 37960045 PMCID: PMC10650328 DOI: 10.3390/plants12213688] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2023] [Revised: 10/24/2023] [Accepted: 10/24/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
Context-dependence in mutualisms is a fundamental aspect of ecological interactions. Within plant-ant mutualisms, particularly in terms of biotic protection and pollination, research has predominantly focused on elucidating the benefits while largely overlooking potential costs. This notable gap underscores the need for investigations into the drawbacks and trade-offs associated with such mutualistic relationships. Here, we evaluated the role of pericarpial nectaries (PNs) in shaping the dynamics of ant-pollinator mutualisms. Specifically, we investigated whether ants visiting the PN of Palicourea rigida (Rubiaceae) could deter hummingbirds and disrupt pollination, ultimately influencing fruit production. Our research involved manipulative experiments and observation of ant-pollinator interactions on P. rigida plants in the Brazilian savannah. We found that visiting ants can deter hummingbirds and/or disrupt pollination in P. rigida, directly influencing fruit set. However, these results are species-specific. The presence of very aggressive, large predatory ants, such as E. tuberculatum, had a negative impact on hummingbird behavior, whereas aggressive mid-sized ants, such as C. crassus, showed no effects. Our study illuminates the multifaceted aspects of ant-plant mutualisms and underscores the importance of evaluating costs and unexpected outcomes within these ecological relationships.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Priscila Bruno Cardoso
- Postgraduation Program in Entomology, Department of Biology, University of São Paulo, Ribeirao Preto 14040-900, SP, Brazil (H.M.T.-S.)
| | - Eduardo Soares Calixto
- Postgraduation Program in Entomology, Department of Biology, University of São Paulo, Ribeirao Preto 14040-900, SP, Brazil (H.M.T.-S.)
- Entomology and Nematology Department, University of Florida, Jay, FL 32583, USA
| | - Helena Maura Torezan-Silingardi
- Postgraduation Program in Entomology, Department of Biology, University of São Paulo, Ribeirao Preto 14040-900, SP, Brazil (H.M.T.-S.)
- Institute of Biology, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Uberlandia 38405-302, MG, Brazil
| | - Kleber Del-Claro
- Postgraduation Program in Entomology, Department of Biology, University of São Paulo, Ribeirao Preto 14040-900, SP, Brazil (H.M.T.-S.)
- Institute of Biology, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Uberlandia 38405-302, MG, Brazil
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Porto GF, Pezzonia JH, Del-Claro K. Extrafloral Nectary-Bearing Plants Recover Ant Association Benefits Faster and More Effectively after Frost-Fire Events Than Frost. Plants (Basel) 2023; 12:3592. [PMID: 37896055 PMCID: PMC10610396 DOI: 10.3390/plants12203592] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2023] [Revised: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 10/14/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023]
Abstract
The Cerrado confronts threats such as fire and frost due to natural or human-induced factors. These disturbances trigger attribute changes that impact biodiversity. Given escalating climate extremes, understanding the effects of these phenomena on ecological relationships is crucial for biodiversity conservation. To understand how fire and frost affect interactions and influence biological communities in the Cerrado, our study aimed to comprehend the effects of these two disturbances on extrafloral nectar (EFN)-bearing plants (Ouratea spectabilis, Ochnaceae) and their interactions. Our main hypothesis was that plants affected by fire would grow again more quickly than those affected only by frost due to the better adaptation of Cerrado flora to fire. The results showed that fire accelerated the regrowth of O. spectabilis. Regrowth in plants with EFNs attracted ants that proved to be efficient in removing herbivores, significantly reducing foliar herbivory rates in this species, when compared to the species without EFNs, or when ant access was prevented through experimental manipulation. Post-disturbance ant and herbivore populations were low, with frost leading to greater reductions. Ant richness and diversity are higher where frost precedes fire, suggesting that fire restores Cerrado ecological interactions better than frost, with less impact on plants, ants, and herbivores.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gabriela Fraga Porto
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Vegetal, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade de Uberlândia, Uberlândia 38400-902, MG, Brazil;
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Entomologia, Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto—FFCLRP, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto 14040-901, SP, Brazil;
- Laboratório de Ecologia Comportamental e de Interações, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Uberlândia 38400-902, MG, Brazil
| | - José Henrique Pezzonia
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Entomologia, Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto—FFCLRP, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto 14040-901, SP, Brazil;
- Laboratório de Ecologia Comportamental e de Interações, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Uberlândia 38400-902, MG, Brazil
| | - Kleber Del-Claro
- Laboratório de Ecologia Comportamental e de Interações, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Uberlândia 38400-902, MG, Brazil
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Calixto ES, Del-Claro K, Lange D, Bronstein J. Time course of inducibility of indirect responses in an ant-defended plant. Ecology 2023; 104:e4029. [PMID: 36912135 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.4029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2023] [Accepted: 02/24/2023] [Indexed: 03/14/2023]
Abstract
Plants have evolved inducible defenses that allow them to minimize costs associated with the production of constitutive defenses when herbivores are not present. However, as a consequence, some plants might experience a period of vulnerability between damage and the onset of defense and/or between the cessation of damage and relaxation of defense. Few studies have examined the time course in the inducible protective mutualism between ants and extrafloral nectary (EFN)-bearing plants. None has compared inducibility of EFNs on vegetative versus reproductive parts, or in response to different levels of herbivore damage. Here, we disentangle the inducibility process by evaluating extrafloral nectar production and ant attendance over time, the time course of inducibility on different plant parts, and the time course of inducibility in response to different levels of foliar damage in a Brazilian tree, Qualea multiflora (Vochysiaceae). Using simulated herbivory on leaves and flowers, we found that (a) the production of extrafloral nectar from foliar and floral EFNs, as well as ant attendance, exhibited a lag between the moment of damage and the peak of response, followed by a response peak (usually 24 hours after damage) at which the defense remains at its maximum level, then declines to pre-stimulus levels; (b) the time course of inducibility and the peak activity do not differ between EFNs located in vegetative versus reproductive parts, except for sugar concentration, which was higher in EFNs on vegetative parts; and (c) the time course of inducibility of foliar EFNs is dependent on damage level. Although considered a cost-saving strategy, inducible defenses can be disadvantageous since they can leave plants vulnerable to attack for extended periods. Our results illuminate the dynamics of the induced response and the underlying mechanisms that might mediate it, ultimately providing new insights into defense strategies employed by plants.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Eduardo Soares Calixto
- Entomology and Nematology Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.,Laboratório de Ecologia Comportamental e de Interações (LECI). Instituto de Biologia. Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Uberlândia, MG, Brazil
| | - Kleber Del-Claro
- Laboratório de Ecologia Comportamental e de Interações (LECI). Instituto de Biologia. Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Uberlândia, MG, Brazil
| | - Denise Lange
- Universidade Tecnológica Federal do Paraná. Campus Santa Helena, Santa Helena, PR, Brazil
| | - Judith Bronstein
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Feitosa RM, Silva TSR, Camacho GP, Ulysséa MA, Ladino N, Oliveira AM, de Albuquerque EZ, Ribas CR, Schmidt FA, Morini MSDC, da Silva RR, Dáttilo W, de Queiroz ACM, Baccaro FB, Santos JC, Carvalho KS, Sobrinho TG, Quinet YP, Moraes AB, Vargas AB, Torezan-Silingardi HM, Souza JLP, Marques T, Izzo T, Lange D, dos Santos IA, Del-Claro K, Nahas L, Paolucci L, Soares SA, Harada AY, Rabello AM, da Costa-Milanez CB, Diehl-Fleig E, Campos RBF, Solar R, Frizzo T, DaRocha W, Nogueira A. From species descriptions to diversity patterns: the validation of taxonomic data as a keystone for ant diversity studies reproducibility and accuracy. R Soc Open Sci 2023; 10:221170. [PMID: 36778958 PMCID: PMC9905978 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.221170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2022] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Research findings in natural sciences need to be comparable and reproducible to effectively improve our understanding of ecological and behavioural patterns. In this sense, knowledge frontiers in biodiversity studies are directly tied to taxonomic research, especially in species-rich tropical regions. Here we analysed the taxonomic information available in 470 studies on Brazilian ant diversity published in the last 50 years. We aimed to quantify the proportion of studies that provide enough data to validate taxonomic identification, explore the frequency of studies that properly acknowledge their taxonomic background, and investigate the primary resources for ant identification in Brazil. We found that most studies on Brazilian ant diversity (73.6%) explicitly stated the methods used to identify their specimens. However, the proportion of papers that provide complete data for the repository institutions and vouchered specimens is vanishingly small (5.8%). Additionally, only 40.0% of the studies consistently presented taxon authorities and years of description, rarely referencing taxonomic publications correctly. In turn, the number of specialists and institutions consulted for ant identification in Brazil has increased in the last years, along with the number of studies that explicitly provide their taxonomic procedures for ant identification. Our findings highlight a shift between generations regarding the recognition of taxonomy as fundamental science, deepening our understanding of biodiversity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rodrigo M. Feitosa
- Laboratório de Sistemática e Biologia de Formigas, Departamento de Zoologia, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil
| | - Thiago S. R. Silva
- The Insect Biodiversity and Biogeography Laboratory, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, People's Republic of China
| | - Gabriela P. Camacho
- Center for Integrative Biodiversity Discovery, Museum für Naturkunde, Berlin, Germany
- Laboratório de Hymenoptera, Museu de Zoologia da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Mônica A. Ulysséa
- Laboratório de Hymenoptera, Museu de Zoologia da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Natalia Ladino
- Laboratório de Sistemática e Biologia de Formigas, Departamento de Zoologia, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil
| | - Aline M. Oliveira
- The Insect Biodiversity and Biogeography Laboratory, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, People's Republic of China
| | - Emília Z. de Albuquerque
- AntLab, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, USA
- Rabeling Lab, School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
| | - Carla R. Ribas
- Laboratório de Ecologia de Formigas, Departamento de Ecologia e Conservação, Universidade Federal de Lavras, Lavras, Minas Gerais, Brazil
- Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster, UK
| | - Fernando A. Schmidt
- Laboratório de Ecologia de Formigas, Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Natureza, Universidade Federal do Acre, Rio Branco, Acre, Brazil
| | - Maria Santina de C. Morini
- Laboratório de Mirmecologia do Alto Tietê, Núcleo de Ciências Ambientais, Universidade de Mogi das Cruzes, Mogi das Cruzes, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Rogério R. da Silva
- Coordenação de Ciências da Terra e Ecologia, Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi, Belém, Pará, Brazil
| | - Wesley Dáttilo
- Red de Ecoetología, Instituto de Ecología AC, Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico
| | - Antônio C. M. de Queiroz
- Laboratório de Ecologia de Formigas, Departamento de Ecologia e Conservação, Universidade Federal de Lavras, Lavras, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Fabrício B. Baccaro
- Departamento de Biologia, Universidade Federal do Amazonas, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil
| | - Jean C. Santos
- Laboratório de Ecologia & Biodiversidade, Departamento de Ecologia, Universidade Federal de Sergipe, São Cristóvão, Sergipe, Brazil
| | - Karine S. Carvalho
- Laboratório de Ecologia, Departamento de Ciências Naturais, Universidade Estadual do Sudoeste da Bahia, Campus Vitória da Conquista, Vitória da Conquista, Bahia, Brazil
| | - Tathiana G. Sobrinho
- Laboratório de Sistemática e Ecologia de Insetos, Departamento de Ciências Agrárias e Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, Campus São Mateus, São Mateus, Espírito Santos, Brazil
| | - Yves P. Quinet
- Laboratório de Entomologia, Departamento de Biologia, Universidade Estadual do Ceará, Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil
| | - Aline B. Moraes
- Prefeitura Municipal de Novo Hamburgo, Novo Hamburgo, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - André B. Vargas
- Centro Universitário de Volta Redonda – UniFOA, Volta Redonda, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Helena Maura Torezan-Silingardi
- Laboratório de Ecologia Comportamental e de Interações, Instituto de Biologia. Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Jorge Luiz P. Souza
- Instituto Nacional da Mata Atlântica – INMA, Santa Teresa, Espírito Santo, Brazil
| | - Tatianne Marques
- Laboratório de Ecologia Aplicada e Citogenética, Instituto Federal do Norte de Minas Gerais – IFNMG, Campus Salinas, Salinas, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Thiago Izzo
- Laboratório de Ecologia de Comunidades, Departamento de Botânica e Ecologia, Universidade Federal do Mato Grosso, Cuiabá, Mato Grosso, Brazil
| | - Denise Lange
- Universidade Tecnológica Federal do Paraná, Campus Santa Helena, Santa Helena, Paraná, Brazil
| | - Iracenir A. dos Santos
- Centro de Formação Interdisciplinar, Universidade Federal do Oeste do Pará, Santarém, Pará, Brazil
| | - Kleber Del-Claro
- Laboratório de Ecologia Comportamental e de Interações, Instituto de Biologia. Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Larissa Nahas
- Laboratório de Ecologia Comportamental e de Interações, Instituto de Biologia. Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Lucas Paolucci
- Departamento de Biologia Geral, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Stela A. Soares
- Secretaria Estadual de Educação de Mato Grosso do Sul, Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil
| | - Ana Y. Harada
- Coordenação em Zoologia, Museu Paraense Emilio Goeldi, Belém, Pará, Brazil
| | - Ananza M. Rabello
- Instituto de Estudos do Xingu, Universidade Federal do Sul e Sudeste do Pará, São Félix do Xingu, Pará, Brazil
| | - Cinthia B. da Costa-Milanez
- Departamento de Biologia, Instituto de Ciências Exatas e Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | | | - Renata B. F. Campos
- Laboratório de Ecologia, Ambiente e Território, PPG Gestão Integrada do Território, Universidade Vale do Rio Doce, Governador Valadares, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Ricardo Solar
- Centro de Síntese Ecológica e Conservação, Departamento de Genética. Ecologia e Evolução, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Tiago Frizzo
- Departamento de Ecologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade de Brasília, Campus Darcy Ribeiro, Asa Norte. Brasília, Distrito Federal, Brazil
| | - Wesley DaRocha
- Laboratório de Ecologia de Insetos, Departamento de Biologia Geral, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
- Laboratório de Mirmecologia, Centro de Pesquisa do Cacau, Ilhéus, Bahia, Brazil
| | - Anselmo Nogueira
- Laboratório de Interações Planta-Animal (LIPA) – Centro de Ciências Naturais e Humanas, Universidade Federal do ABC, São Bernardo do Campo, São Paulo, Brazil
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Moura RF, Del-Claro K. Plants with extrafloral nectaries share indirect defenses and shape the local arboreal ant community. Oecologia 2023; 201:73-82. [PMID: 36372829 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-022-05286-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2022] [Accepted: 11/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Associational resistance (AR) is a positive interaction in which a plant suffers less herbivore damage due to its association with a protective plant. Here, we evaluated whether plants with extra-floral nectaries (EFNs) can share indirect defenses with neighboring plants. We sampled 45 individuals of an EFN-bearing liana (Smilax polyantha) and recorded whether their support species had EFNs. In S. polyantha, we measured foliar herbivory and flower and fruit production. We examined the ant species composition and visitation of S. polyantha and whether they changed according to the supporting plant type (with or without EFNs). We experimentally determined whether S. polyantha supplemented with artificial nectaries could share indirect defenses with defenseless neighboring plants. Support plants with EFNs indirectly benefited S. polyantha by sharing mutualistic ant species. Smilax polyantha supported by plants with EFNs had a more specific ant species composition, a higher number of visiting ants and ant species richness, and exhibited nearly 3 times less foliar herbivory. However, we did not observe differences in fruit production between the two groups of S. polyantha. Finally, we observed that S. polyantha with artificial nectaries increased ant visitation on neighboring plants 2.5 times. We provide evidence that interspecific neighbors with EFNs can experience reciprocal benefits by sharing indirect defenses. Such local effects might escalate and affect the structure of plant communities.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Renan Fernandes Moura
- Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
- Dead Sea and Arava Science Center, Masada, Israel.
- Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv-Yafo, Israel.
| | | |
Collapse
|
7
|
Feitosa RM, Camacho GP, Silva TSR, Ulysséa MA, Ladino N, Oliveira AM, Albuquerque EZ, Schmidt FA, Ribas CR, Nogueira A, Baccaro FB, Queiroz ACM, Dáttilo W, Silva RR, Santos JC, Rabello AM, Morini MSDC, Quinet YP, Del-Claro K, Harada AY, Carvalho KS, Sobrinho TG, Moraes AB, Vargas AB, Torezan-Silingardi HM, Souza JLP, Marques T, Izzo T, Lange D, Santos IA, Nahas L, Paolucci L, Soares SA, Costa-Milanez CB, Diehl-Fleig E, Campos RBF, Solar R, Frizzo T, Darocha W. Ants of Brazil: an overview based on 50 years of diversity studies. SYST BIODIVERS 2022. [DOI: 10.1080/14772000.2022.2089268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Rodrigo M. Feitosa
- Laboratório de Sistemática e Biologia de Formigas, Departamento de Zoologia, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil
| | - Gabriela P. Camacho
- Center for Integrative Biodiversity Discovery, Museum für Naturkunde, Berlin, Germany
- Laboratório de Hymenoptera, Museu de Zoologia da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Thiago S. R. Silva
- The Insect Biodiversity and Biogeography Laboratory, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Mônica A. Ulysséa
- Laboratório de Hymenoptera, Museu de Zoologia da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Natalia Ladino
- Laboratório de Sistemática e Biologia de Formigas, Departamento de Zoologia, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil
| | - Aline M. Oliveira
- The Insect Biodiversity and Biogeography Laboratory, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Emília Z. Albuquerque
- AntLab, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, USA
- Rabeling Lab, School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
| | - Fernando A. Schmidt
- Laboratório de Ecologia de Formigas, Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Natureza, Universidade Federal do Acre, Rio Branco, Acre, Brazil
| | - Carla R. Ribas
- Laboratório de Ecologia de Formigas, Departamento de Ecologia e Conservação, Universidade Federal de Lavras, Lavras, Minas Gerais, Brazil
- Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster, UK
| | - Anselmo Nogueira
- Laboratório de Interações Planta-Animal, Centro de Ciências Naturais e Humanas, Universidade Federal do ABC, São Bernardo do Campo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Fabrício B. Baccaro
- Departamento de Biologia, Universidade Federal do Amazonas, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil
| | - Antônio C. M. Queiroz
- Laboratório de Ecologia de Formigas, Departamento de Ecologia e Conservação, Universidade Federal de Lavras, Lavras, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Wesley Dáttilo
- Red de Ecoetología, Instituto de Ecología AC, Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico
| | - Rogério R. Silva
- Coordenação de Ciências da Terra e Ecologia, Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi, Belém, Pará, Brazil
| | - Jean C. Santos
- Laboratório de Ecologia & Biodiversidade, Departamento de Ecologia, Universidade Federal de Sergipe, São Cristóvão, Sergipe, Brazil
| | - Ananza M. Rabello
- Instituto de Estudos do Xingu, Universidade Federal do Sul e Sudeste do Pará, São Félix do Xingu, Pará, Brazil
| | - Maria Santina De C. Morini
- Laboratório de Mirmecologia do Alto Tietê, Núcleo de Ciências Ambientais, Universidade de Mogi das Cruzes, Mogi das Cruzes, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Yves P. Quinet
- Laboratório de Entomologia, Departamento de Biologia, Universidade Estadual do Ceará, Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil
| | - Kleber Del-Claro
- Laboratório de Ecologia Comportamental e de Interações, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Ana Y. Harada
- Coordenação em Zoologia, Museu Paraense Emilio Goeldi, Belém, Pará, Brazil
| | - Karine S. Carvalho
- Laboratório de Ecologia, Departamento de Ciências Naturais, Universidade Estadual do Sudoeste da Bahia, Vitória da Conquista, Bahia, Brazil
| | - Tathiana G. Sobrinho
- Laboratório de Sistemática e Ecologia de Insetos, Departamento de Ciências Agrárias e Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, São Mateus, Espírito Santos, Brazil
| | - Aline B. Moraes
- Prefeitura Municipal de Novo Hamburgo, Novo Hamburgo, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - André B. Vargas
- Centro Universitário de Volta Redonda, UniFOA, Volta Redonda, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Helena Maura Torezan-Silingardi
- Laboratório de Ecologia Comportamental e de Interações, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Jorge Luiz P. Souza
- Instituto Nacional da Mata Atlântica, INMA, Santa Teresa, Espírito Santo, Brazil
| | - Tatianne Marques
- Laboratório de Ecologia Aplicada e Citogenética, Instituto Federal do Norte de Minas Gerais – IFNMG, Salinas, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Thiago Izzo
- Laboratório de Ecologia de Comunidades, Departamento de Botânica e Ecologia, Universidade Federal do Mato Grosso, Cuiabá, Mato Grosso, Brazil
| | - Denise Lange
- Universidade Tecnológica Federal do Paraná, Santa Helena, Paraná, Brazil
| | - Iracenir A. Santos
- Centro de Formação Interdisciplinar, Universidade Federal do Oeste do Pará, Santarém, Pará, Brazil
| | - Larissa Nahas
- Laboratório de Ecologia Comportamental e de Interações, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Lucas Paolucci
- Departamento de Biologia Geral, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Stela A. Soares
- Secretaria Estadual de Educação de Mato Grosso do Sul, Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil
| | - Cinthia B. Costa-Milanez
- Departamento de Biologia, Instituto de Ciências Exatas e Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | | | - Renata B. F. Campos
- Laboratório de Ecologia, Ambiente e Território, PPG Gestão Integrada do Território, Universidade Vale do Rio Doce, Governador Valadares, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Ricardo Solar
- Centro de Síntese Ecológica e Conservação, Departamento de Genética, Ecologia e Evolução, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Tiago Frizzo
- Departamento de Ecologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, Distrito Federal, Brazil
| | - Wesley Darocha
- Laboratório de Mirmecologia (CPDC), Centro de Pesquisa do Cacau (CEPEC), Ilhéus, Bahia, Brazil
- Laboratório de Ecologia de Insetos, Departamento de Biologia Geral, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Aguiar de Souza Penha V, Maia Chaves Bicalho Domingos F, Fecchio A, Bell JA, Weckstein JD, Ricklefs RE, Braga EM, de Abreu Moreira P, Soares L, Latta S, Tolesano-Pascoli G, Alquezar RD, Del-Claro K, Manica LT. Haemosporidian parasites and incubation period influence plumage coloration in tanagers (Passeriformes: Thraupidae). Proc Biol Sci 2022; 289:20221283. [PMID: 36416043 PMCID: PMC9682435 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2022.1283] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2022] [Accepted: 10/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Birds are highly visually oriented and use plumage coloration as an important signalling trait in social communication. Hence, males and females may have different patterns of plumage coloration, a phenomenon known as sexual dichromatism. Because males tend to have more complex plumages, sexual dichromatism is usually attributed to female choice. However, plumage coloration is partly condition-dependent; therefore, other selective pressures affecting individuals' success may also drive the evolution of this trait. Here, we used tanagers as model organisms to study the relationships between dichromatism and plumage coloration complexity in tanagers with parasitism by haemosporidians, investment in reproduction and life-history traits. We screened blood samples from 2849 individual birds belonging to 52 tanager species to detect haemosporidian parasites. We used publicly available data for plumage coloration, bird phylogeny and life-history traits to run phylogenetic generalized least-square models of plumage dichromatism and complexity in male and female tanagers. We found that plumage dichromatism was more pronounced in bird species with a higher prevalence of haemosporidian parasites. Lastly, high plumage coloration complexity in female tanagers was associated with a longer incubation period. Our results indicate an association between haemosporidian parasites and plumage coloration suggesting that parasites impact mechanisms of sexual selection, increasing differences between the sexes, and social (non-sexual) selection, driving females to develop more complex coloration.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Alan Fecchio
- Centro de Investigación Esquel de Montaña y Estepa Patagónica (CIEMEP), CONICET—Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia San Juan Bosco, U9200, Esquel, Chubut, Argentina
| | - Jeffrey A. Bell
- Department of Biology, University of North Dakota, 58202-9019, Grand Forks, USA
| | - Jason D. Weckstein
- Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University and Department of Biodiversity, Earth, and Environmental Science, Drexel University, 19104, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Robert E. Ricklefs
- Department of Biology, University of Missouri—Saint Louis, Saint Louis, MO, USA
| | - Erika Martins Braga
- Department of Parasitology, Federal University of Minas Gerais, 31270-901, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | | | - Letícia Soares
- Research Associate, National Aviary, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Steven Latta
- Conservation and Field Research, National Aviary, 15212, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Graziela Tolesano-Pascoli
- Zoology Department, Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Brasilia, 70910-900, Brasilia, Distrito Federal, Brazil
| | - Renata Duarte Alquezar
- Animal Behavior Laboratory, Graduate Program in Ecology, University of Brasilia, 70910-900, Brasilia, Distrito Federal, Brazil
| | - Kleber Del-Claro
- Behavioral Ecology and Interactions Laboratory, Graduate Program in Ecology and Conservation of Natural Resources, Federal University of Uberlândia, 38405-240, Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Lilian Tonelli Manica
- Zoology Department, Federal University of Paraná, 81531-980, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Aguiar de Souza Penha V, Maia Chaves Bicalho Domingos F, Fecchio A, Bell JA, Weckstein JD, Ricklefs RE, Braga EM, de Abreu Moreira P, Soares L, Latta S, Tolesano-Pascoli G, Alquezar RD, Del-Claro K, Manica LT. Host life-history traits predict haemosporidian parasite prevalence in tanagers (Aves: Thraupidae). Parasitology 2022; 150:1-10. [PMID: 36226920 PMCID: PMC10090595 DOI: 10.1017/s0031182022001469] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2022] [Revised: 09/26/2022] [Accepted: 10/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Vector-borne parasites are important ecological drivers influencing life-history evolution in birds by increasing host mortality or susceptibility to new diseases. Therefore, understanding why vulnerability to infection varies within a host clade is a crucial task for conservation biology and for understanding macroecological life-history patterns. Here, we studied the relationship of avian life-history traits and climate on the prevalence of Plasmodium and Parahaemoproteus parasites. We sampled 3569 individual birds belonging to 53 species of the family Thraupidae. Individuals were captured from 2007 to 2018 at 92 locations. We created 2 phylogenetic generalized least-squares models with Plasmodium and Parahaemoproteus prevalence as our response variables, and with the following predictor variables: climate PC1, climate PC2, body size, mixed-species flock participation, incubation period, migration, nest height, foraging height, forest cover, and diet. We found that Parahaemoproteus and Plasmodium prevalence was higher in species inhabiting open habitats. Tanager species with longer incubation periods had higher Parahaemoproteus prevalence as well, and we hypothesize that these longer incubation periods overlap with maximum vector abundances, resulting in a higher probability of infection among adult hosts during their incubation period and among chicks. Lastly, we found that Plasmodium prevalence was higher in species without migratory behaviour, with mixed-species flock participation, and with an omnivorous or animal-derived diet. We discuss the consequences of higher infection prevalence in relation to life-history traits in tanagers.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Alan Fecchio
- Centro de Investigación Esquel de Montaña y Estepa Patagónica (CIEMEP), CONICET – Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia San Juan Bosco, Esquel, Chubut, Argentina
| | - Jeffrey A. Bell
- Department of Biology, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, USA
| | - Jason D. Weckstein
- Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University and Department of Biodiversity, Earth, and Environmental Science, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Robert E. Ricklefs
- Department of Biology, University of Missouri–Saint Louis, Saint Louis, MO, USA
| | - Erika Martins Braga
- Malaria Laboratory, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | | | - Letícia Soares
- Research Associate, National Aviary, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Steven Latta
- Conservation and Field Research, National Aviary, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Graziela Tolesano-Pascoli
- Zoology Department, Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Brasilia, Brasilia, Distrito Federal, Brazil
| | - Renata Duarte Alquezar
- Animal Behavior Laboratory, Graduate Program in Ecology, University of Brasilia, Brasilia, Distrito Federal, Brazil
| | - Kleber Del-Claro
- Behavioral Ecology and Interactions Laboratory, Graduate Program in Ecology and Conservation of Natural Resources, Federal University of Uberlândia, Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | | |
Collapse
|
10
|
Anjos DV, Tena A, Viana-Junior AB, Carvalho RL, Torezan-Silingardi H, Del-Claro K, Perfecto I. The effects of ants on pest control: a meta-analysis. Proc Biol Sci 2022; 289:20221316. [PMID: 35975443 PMCID: PMC9382213 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2022.1316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Environmental impacts of conventional agriculture have generated interest in sustainable agriculture. Biological pest control is a fundamental tool, and ants are key players providing ecological services, as well as some disservices. We have used a meta-analytical approach to investigate the contribution of ants to biological control, considering their effects on pest and natural enemy abundance, plant damage and crop yield. We also evaluated whether the effects of ants are modulated by traits of ants, pests and other natural enemies, as well as by field size, crop system and experiment duration. Overall (considering all meta-analyses), from 52 studies on 17 different crops, we found that ants decrease the abundance of non-honeydew-producing pests, decrease plant damage and increase crop yield (services). In addition, ants decrease the abundance of natural enemies, mainly the generalist ones, and increase honeydew-producing pest abundance (disservices). We show that the pest control and plant protection provided by ants are boosted in shaded crops compared to monocultures. Furthermore, ants increase crop yield in shaded crops, and this effect increases with time. Finally, we bring new insights such as the importance of shaded crops to ant services, providing a good tool for farmers and stakeholders considering sustainable farming practices.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Diego V. Anjos
- Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Uberlândia, Minas Gerais 38405-302, Brazil
| | - Alejandro Tena
- Centro de Protección Vegetal y Biotecnología, Instituto Valenciano de Investigaciones Agrarias (IVIA), Moncada, Spain
| | - Arleu Barbosa Viana-Junior
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biodiversidade e Evolução, Coordenação de Zoologia, Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi, Belém, Para 66077-830, Brazil
| | - Raquel L. Carvalho
- Instituto de Estudos Avançados, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, 05508-020, Brazil
| | - Helena Torezan-Silingardi
- Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Uberlândia, Minas Gerais 38405-302, Brazil
| | - Kleber Del-Claro
- Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Uberlândia, Minas Gerais 38405-302, Brazil
| | - Ivette Perfecto
- School for Environment and Sustainability, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Mendes-Silva I, Queiroga D, Calixto ES, Torezan-Silingardi HM, Del-Claro K. Multiple cues guarantee successful predation by a Neotropical wasp. BEHAVIOUR 2021. [DOI: 10.1163/1568539x-bja10144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Predatory social wasps are well studied in several aspects; however, foraging behaviour, especially that which takes place away from the nest at often unpredictable locations, or specialized behaviours to find and subdue prey are not well understood. In the Brazilian tropical savanna, the Polistinae wasp Brachygastra lecheguana is specialized in preying on some endophytic weevil larvae which develops inside floral buds. We hypothesized that these wasps utilize a combination of different mechanisms such as visual, chemical (odour) and possible tactile cues to find the weevil larvae. Using a combination of experimental manipulations (visual; chemical; visual/chemical) we tested the wasp’s ability to detect the endophytic larvae in the field. Additionally, we checked the ability of this wasp to detect vibrations produced by the weevils inside the buds. Our results suggest that the B. lecheguana wasp utilizes a sequence of eco-physiological mechanisms to find the endophytic larva inside floral buds: sight, smell, and perhaps touch. The use of multiple cues by this wasp guarantees such a high rate of predation on endophytic beetles that the wasp may have positive implications (reduction in weevils’ infestation) for the future of the host plant’s reproduction.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Isamara Mendes-Silva
- PPG Entomologia, FFCLRP, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
- Laboratório de Ecologia Comportamental e Interações, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Uberlândia, MG, Brazil
| | - Drielly Queiroga
- PPG Entomologia, FFCLRP, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
- Laboratório de Ecologia Comportamental e Interações, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Uberlândia, MG, Brazil
| | - Eduardo S. Calixto
- PPG Entomologia, FFCLRP, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
- Laboratório de Ecologia Comportamental e Interações, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Uberlândia, MG, Brazil
| | - Helena M. Torezan-Silingardi
- PPG Entomologia, FFCLRP, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
- Laboratório de Ecologia Comportamental e Interações, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Uberlândia, MG, Brazil
| | - Kleber Del-Claro
- PPG Entomologia, FFCLRP, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
- Laboratório de Ecologia Comportamental e Interações, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Uberlândia, MG, Brazil
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Lange D, Calixto ES, Del-Claro K, Stefani V. Spatiotemporal niche-based mechanisms support a stable coexistence of ants and spiders in an extrafloral nectary-bearing plant community. J Anim Ecol 2021; 90:1570-1582. [PMID: 33724464 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13477] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2020] [Accepted: 01/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Mechanisms promoting stable coexistence allow multiple species to persist in the same trophic level of a given network of species interactions. One of the most common stabilizing mechanisms of coexistence is niche differentiation, such as temporal and spatial patchiness. To understand the limits of coexistence between species we have to understand the limits of competitive interactions which translate in species exclusion or patterns of non-co-occurrence. We evaluated spatiotemporal niche-based mechanisms that could promote stable coexistence between ants and spiders which forage on extrafloral nectary (EFN)-bearing plants. We observed co-occurrence and overlapping patterns between ants and spiders in a temporal and spatial scale in nine different EFN-bearing plant species in a Neotropical savanna, using both community and species-level approach. Ants and spiders showed asynchrony of their abundances over the year with low temporal overlapping patterns between them (temporal niche specialization). Greater abundance of ants occurred between September and March, whereas greater abundance of spiders occurred between March and August, exactly at the time when the abundance of ants decreases on plants. However, there might also be some levels of temporal overlapping, but then individual ants and spiders occupy different branches (spatial segregation). Finally, we also observed a spatial negative effect of the abundance of ants on the presence of spiders. Our results suggest that spatiotemporal partitioning between ants and spiders may be one of the potential mechanisms behind a stable coexistence between these two groups of organisms that forage on EFN-bearing plants in the Brazilian savanna.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Denise Lange
- Universidade Tecnológica Federal do Paraná, Santa Helena, PR, Brazil
| | | | - Kleber Del-Claro
- Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, PR, Brazil.,Instituto de Biologia, LECI/Laboratório de Ecologia e Comportamento e Interações, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Uberlândia, PR, Brazil
| | - Vanessa Stefani
- Instituto de Biologia, LHINRA/Laboratório de História Natural e Reprodutiva de Artrópodes, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Uberlândia, PR, Brazil
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Pacheco PSM, Del-Claro K. Spatio-temporal variation influences the division of labour in Pseudomyrmex concolor Smith (Formicidae: Pseudomyrmecinae). J ETHOL 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s10164-021-00695-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
|
14
|
Moura RF, Tizo-Pedroso E, Del-Claro K. Can morphological and behavioral traits predict the foraging and feeding dynamics of social arachnids? Curr Zool 2020; 67:183-190. [PMID: 33854536 PMCID: PMC8026155 DOI: 10.1093/cz/zoaa058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2020] [Accepted: 09/22/2020] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Complex social insect species exhibit task specialization mediated by morphological and behavioral traits. However, evidence of such traits is scarce for other social arthropods. We investigated whether the social pseudoscorpion Paratemnoides nidificator exhibits morphologically and behaviorally specialized individuals in prey capture. We measured body and chela sizes of adult pseudoscorpions and analyzed predation processes. Larger individuals spent more time moving through the colony and foraging than smaller pseudoscorpions. Individuals that captured prey had increased body and absolute chelae sizes. Although larger individuals had relatively small chelae size, they showed a higher probability of prey capture. Larger individuals manipulated prey often, although they fed less than smaller pseudoscorpions. Individuals that initiated captures fed more frequently and for more time than the others. Natural selection might be favoring individuals specialized in foraging and colony protection, allowing smaller and less efficient adults to avoid contact with dangerous prey. To our knowledge, there is incipient information regarding specialized individuals in arachnids, and our results might indicate the emergence of a morphologically specialized group in this species.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Renan F Moura
- Laboratório de Ecologia Comportamental e de Interações, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Uberlândia, MG, 38402-020, Brazil
- Address correspondence to Renan F. Moura. E-mail:
| | - Everton Tizo-Pedroso
- Centro de Ensino e Aprendizado em Rede, Universidade Estadual de Goiás, Anápolis, GO, 75123-315, Brazil
| | - Kleber Del-Claro
- Laboratório de Ecologia Comportamental e de Interações, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Uberlândia, MG, 38402-020, Brazil
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Silva LA, Vasconcellos-Neto J, Del-Claro K, Stefani V. Seasonally variable effects of spiders on herbivory and seed production of Chamaecrista neesiana (Leguminosae Caesalpinioideae). ETHOL ECOL EVOL 2020. [DOI: 10.1080/03949370.2020.1755372] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ligia Aparecida Silva
- Laboratório de Ecologia Comportamental e de Interações (LECI), Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia (UFU), Uberlândia, MG, Brasil
| | - João Vasconcellos-Neto
- Departamento de Biologia Animal, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), C.P. 6109, 13083-970 Campinas, SP, Brasil
| | - Kleber Del-Claro
- Laboratório de Ecologia Comportamental e de Interações (LECI), Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia (UFU), Uberlândia, MG, Brasil
| | - Vanessa Stefani
- Laboratório de História Natural e Reprodutivo de Artrópodes (LHINRA), Pós-graduação em Ecologia e Conservação dos Recursos Naturais, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia (UFU), Uberlândia, MG, Brasil
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Del-Claro K, Torezan-Silingardi HM. In search of unusual interactions. A commentary on: 'Pollen adaptation to ant pollination: a case study from the Proteaceae'. Ann Bot 2020; 126:iv-v. [PMID: 32691045 PMCID: PMC7424756 DOI: 10.1093/aob/mcaa126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
This article comments on:
Nicola Delnevo, Eddie J van Etten, Nicola Clemente, Luna Fogu, Evelina Pavarani, Margaret Byrne and William D Stock, Pollen adaptation to ant pollination: a case study from the Proteaceae, Annals of Botany, Volume 126, Issue 3, 1 September 2020, Pages 377–389, https://doi.org/10.1093/aob/mcaa058.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kleber Del-Claro
- Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Instituto de Biologia, Uberlândia, MG, Brasil
| | | |
Collapse
|
17
|
Sousa-Lopes BD, Santos ATD, Ribeiro-Costa CS, Del-Claro K. Spatio-temporal variation in seed traits affects the occurrence and body-size pattern of a seed-feeding beetle (Chrysomelidae: Bruchinae) in Brazilian Cerrado. Acta Oecologica 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.actao.2020.103579] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
|
18
|
Ancco Valdivia FG, Alves-Silva E, Del-Claro K. Differences in size and energy content affect the territorial status and mating success of a neotropical dragonfly. AUSTRAL ECOL 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/aec.12891] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Kleber Del-Claro
- Universidade de São Paulo; Avenida Bandeirantes No. 3900 CEP 14040901 Ribeirão Preto São Paulo Brazil
- Instituto de Biologia; LECI; Universidade Federal de Uberlândia; Uberlândia Minas Gerais Brazil
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Lange D, Calixto ES, Rosa BB, Sales TA, Del-Claro K. Natural history and ecology of foraging of the Camponotus crassus Mayr, 1862 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). J NAT HIST 2019. [DOI: 10.1080/00222933.2019.1660430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Denise Lange
- Departamento de Biologia, Universidade Tecnológica Federal do Paraná, Campus Santa Helena, Santa Helena, Brazil
| | - Eduardo Soares Calixto
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Entomologia, Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Bianca Bonami Rosa
- Laboratório de Ecologia Comportamental e de Interações, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Uberlândia, Brazil
| | - Tiago Amaral Sales
- Laboratório de Ecologia Comportamental e de Interações, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Uberlândia, Brazil
| | - Kleber Del-Claro
- Laboratório de Ecologia Comportamental e de Interações, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Uberlândia, Brazil
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Del-Claro K, Torezan-Silingardi HM. The study of biotic interactions in the Brazilian Cerrado as a path to the conservation of biodiversity. AN ACAD BRAS CIENC 2019; 91:e20180768. [PMID: 31460592 DOI: 10.1590/0001-3765201920180768] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2019] [Accepted: 07/27/2019] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
As a focus for conservation efforts, biodiversity has received increased attention in the last fifty years. Searching for patterns in biodiversity, researchers have suggested studies including: ecological communities, cladistics classifications, hierarchical compositions of different levels of organization, and groups of taxonomically related species. Here, we propose that the study of the biodiversity of interactions may present a new perspective in the efforts to conserve biodiversity, especially in endangered ecosystems like the tropical savannas. We suggest that Cerrado, like other tropical savannas, is a particularly important ecosystem in which we can direct efforts to explain what determines the major part of variation in the outcomes of species interactions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kleber Del-Claro
- Laboratório de Ecologia Comportamental e de Interações/LECI, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Rua Ceará, s/n, Umuarama, 38400-902 Uberlândia, MG, Brazil
| | - Helena Maura Torezan-Silingardi
- Laboratório de Ecologia Comportamental e de Interações/LECI, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Rua Ceará, s/n, Umuarama, 38400-902 Uberlândia, MG, Brazil
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Del-Claro K, Rodriguez-Morales D, Calixto ES, Martins AS, Torezan-Silingardi HM. Ant pollination of Paepalanthus lundii (Eriocaulaceae) in Brazilian savanna. Ann Bot 2019; 123:1159-1165. [PMID: 30852596 PMCID: PMC6612938 DOI: 10.1093/aob/mcz021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2018] [Accepted: 01/30/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Ant-plant associations are widely diverse and distributed throughout the world, leading to complex ecological networks. Regarding ant-plant mutualism, ant pollination is a very rare interaction and few studies have shown the role of ants as pollinators. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the role of ants as effective pollinators of Paepalanthus lundii (Eriocaulaceae) in a Brazilian savanna. METHODS Fieldwork with experimental manipulation was conducted to evaluate the fitness of P. lundii, considering potential pollinators. For this, we mainly observed the number of seeds produced in different conditions: control, ant exclusion, exclusion of flying insects, and exclusion (entomophily test) of both ants and flying insects. Furthermore, we evaluated all floral visitors throughout the day, stigma receptivity, the numbers of male and female flowers, and patterns of species co-occurrence, which can indicate the presence of different pollinators in the plants at the same time. KEY RESULTS We observed a relation between seed production and ant visits; Camponotus crassus was the most frequent floral visitor and the most effective pollinator. Also, we observed a statistical difference between the numbers of male and female flowers produced, with a greater number of male flowers. Furthermore, P. lundii presented flowering asynchrony, with 12 different types of maturation sequence, which indicates a cross-pollination system. Lastly, we observed an overlap of the greatest abundance of C. crassus and the time of plant stigmatic receptivity, and a pattern of non co-occurrence of ants, which shows the pollinator role of this ant. CONCLUSIONS Our data provide evidence that previous generalizations neglecting the importance of ants as pollinators are wrong. Brazilian savanna can reveal a lot about the ant-pollination syndrome, since this environment presents peculiar characteristics related to this association. Thus, this study has great significance for the understanding of the ant-pollination syndrome, and for the understanding of the complex ecological networks present in these dry arid systems.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- K Del-Claro
- Instituto de Biologia, LECI (Laboratório de Ecologia Comportamental e de Interações), Pós-graduação em Ecologia e Conservação de Recursos Naturais, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Uberlândia, MG, Brazil
| | - D Rodriguez-Morales
- Instituto de Ecología A.C., Red de Interacciones Multitróficas, Carretera antigua a Coatepec, El Haya, Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico
| | - E S Calixto
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Entomologia, Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras, Universidade de São Paulo, Av. Bandeirantes, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - A S Martins
- Instituto de Biologia, LECI (Laboratório de Ecologia Comportamental e de Interações), Pós-graduação em Ecologia e Conservação de Recursos Naturais, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Uberlândia, MG, Brazil
| | - H M Torezan-Silingardi
- Instituto de Biologia, LECI (Laboratório de Ecologia Comportamental e de Interações), Pós-graduação em Ecologia e Conservação de Recursos Naturais, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Uberlândia, MG, Brazil
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Sousa-Lopes BD, Alves-da-Silva N, Ribeiro-Costa CS, Del-Claro K. Temporal distribution, seed damage and notes on the natural history of Acanthoscelides quadridentatus and Acanthoscelides winderi (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Bruchinae) on their host plant, Mimosa setosa var. paludosa (Fabaceae: Mimosoideae), in the Brazilian Cerrado. J NAT HIST 2019. [DOI: 10.1080/00222933.2019.1606358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Bruno de Sousa-Lopes
- Laboratório de Ecologia Comportamental e de Interações, Pós-graduação em Entomologia, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Nayane Alves-da-Silva
- Laboratório de Ecologia Comportamental e de Interações, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Uberlândia, Brazil
| | - Cibele Stramare Ribeiro-Costa
- Laboratório de Sistemática e Bioecologia de Coleoptera, Setor de Ciências Biológicas, Departamento de Zoologia, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba, Brazil
| | - Kleber Del-Claro
- Laboratório de Ecologia Comportamental e de Interações, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Uberlândia, Brazil
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
De Sousa-Lopes B, Whitfield JB, Salgado-Neto G, Del-Claro K. Cotesia itororensis sp. nov. from Brazilian savanna: a new reared microgastrine wasp (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) described using an integrative taxonomic approach. Zootaxa 2019; 4544:437-445. [PMID: 30647251 DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4544.3.9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2019] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
A new species of microgastrine wasp, Cotesia itororensis Sousa-Lopes Whitfield, sp. nov., is described from a Brazilian savanna area in Uberlândia, Minas Gerais. This species is a koinobiont endoparasitoid recorded from caterpillars of Oospila pallidaria (Schaus, 1897) (Lepidoptera: Geometridae), feeding on Mimosa setosa var. paludosa (Fabaceae: Mimosoideae). Morphological, molecular, biological, ecological and geographical data are used to describe the new species and distinguish it from others formally recorded for the Neotropical region.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bruno De Sousa-Lopes
- Laboratório de Ecologia Comportamental e de Interações, Pós-graduação em Entomologia, Universidade de São Paulo, Avenida Bandeirantes n. 3900, 14040901, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil..
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
24
|
Calixto ES, Lange D, Del-Claro K. PROTECTION MUTUALISM: AN OVERVIEW OF ANT-PLANT INTERACTIONS MEDIATED BY EXTRAFLORAL NECTARIES. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2018. [DOI: 10.4257/oeco.2018.2204.05] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
|
25
|
Fagundes R, Lange D, Anjos DV, Paixão de Lima F, Nahas L, Corro EJ, Gomes Silva PB, Del-Claro K, Ribeiro SP, Dáttilo W. Limited effects of fire disturbances on the species diversity and structure of ant-plant interaction networks in Brazilian Cerrado. Acta Oecologica 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.actao.2018.11.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
|
26
|
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.
Collapse
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
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Ribeiro RF, Gomes FC, Tizo AFS, Tizo-Pedroso E, Del-Claro K. Cooperative foraging in neotropical pseudoscorpions: effects of prey changes on behavioral adjustments of colonies. Acta Ethol 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s10211-018-0294-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
|
28
|
Moura RF, Tizo-Pedroso E, Del-Claro K. Colony size, habitat structure, and prey size shape the predation ecology of a social pseudoscorpion from a tropical savanna. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-018-2518-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
|
29
|
Vilela DS, Guillermo-Ferreira R, Del-Claro K, Cordero-Rivera A. Argia angelae (Odonata: Zygoptera: Coenagrionidae) sp. nov. from Chapada dos Guimarães, Mato Grosso, Brazil. Zootaxa 2018; 4415:549-560. [PMID: 30313616 DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4415.3.8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2018] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
Argia angelae sp. nov. (Holotype ♂, BRAZIL, Mato Grosso, Chapada dos Guimarães, Rio Salgadeira (15°21'25" S, 55°49'51" W, 305 m), 1 xi 2015, D. S. Vilela leg., in LESTES, Cod. ACR 8173A) from Chapada dos Guimarães, Brazil is described, illustrated and diagnosed based on comparison with other known sympatric species of the genus. This species inhabits streams throughout the National Park and a map of its known distribution is provided.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Diogo Silva Vilela
- Graduate Program in Entomology, Department of Biology, University of São Paulo (USP), Ribeirão Preto, Brazil. Laboratory of Ecological Studies on Ethology and Evolution (LESTES), Department of Hydrobiology, Federal University of São Carlos, Brazil Laboratório de Ecologia Comportamental e Interações (LECI), Biology Institute, Federal University of Uberlândia, Uberlândia, Brazil.
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
30
|
Alves-Silva E, Bächtold A, Del-Claro K. Florivorous myrmecophilous caterpillars exploit an ant-plant mutualism and distract ants from extrafloral nectaries. AUSTRAL ECOL 2018. [DOI: 10.1111/aec.12609] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Estevao Alves-Silva
- Universidade do Estado de Mato Grosso; Rua Prof. Dr. Renato Figueiro Varella, Caixa Postal 08 CEP: 78690-000 Nova Xavantina Mato Grosso Brasil
- Instituto de Biologia; Universidade Federal de Uberlândia; Uberlândia Minas Gerais Brazil
| | - Alexandra Bächtold
- Universidade do Estado de Mato Grosso; Rua Prof. Dr. Renato Figueiro Varella, Caixa Postal 08 CEP: 78690-000 Nova Xavantina Mato Grosso Brasil
- Universidade de São Paulo; Ribeirão Preto São Paulo Brasil
| | - Kleber Del-Claro
- Instituto de Biologia; Universidade Federal de Uberlândia; Uberlândia Minas Gerais Brazil
| |
Collapse
|
31
|
Affiliation(s)
- Andréa Andrade Vilela
- Laboratório de Ecologia Comportamental e Interações, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Uberlândia, Brasil
| | - Kleber Del-Claro
- Laboratório de Ecologia Comportamental e Interações, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Uberlândia, Brasil
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Bächtold A, Alves-Silva E, Del-Claro K. Ant-related oviposition is not associated to low parasitism of the myrmecophilous butterfly Allosmaitia strophius in an extrafloral nectaried shrub. Acta Oecologica 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.actao.2017.06.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
|
33
|
Fagundes R, Dáttilo W, Ribeiro SP, Rico-Gray V, Jordano P, Del-Claro K. Differences among ant species in plant protection are related to production of extrafloral nectar and degree of leaf herbivory. Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2017. [DOI: 10.1093/biolinnean/blx059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- R Fagundes
- Instituto de Ciências Exatas e da Natureza, Universidade da Integração Internacional da Lusofonia Afro-Brasileira, Acarape, Ceará, Brasil
- Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, Brasil
- Instituto de Ciências Exatas e Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brasil
| | - W Dáttilo
- Red de Ecoetologia, Instituto de Ecología A.C., Xalapa, Veracruz, México
| | - S P Ribeiro
- Instituto de Ciências Exatas e Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brasil
| | - V Rico-Gray
- Instituto de Neuroetologia, Univesidad Veracruzana, Xalapa, Veracruz, México
| | - P Jordano
- Estación Biológica de Doñana, EDB-CSIC, Sevilla, Spain
| | - K Del-Claro
- Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, Brasil
| |
Collapse
|
34
|
Vilela DS, Tosta TA, Rodrigues RR, Del-Claro K, Guillermo-Ferreira R. Colours of war: visual signals may influence the outcome of territorial contests in the tiger damselfly, Tigriagrion aurantinigrum. Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2017. [DOI: 10.1093/biolinnean/blx024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
|
35
|
Abstract
Extrafloral nectar is the main food source offered by plants to predatory ants in most land environments. Although many studies have demonstrated the importance of extrafloral nectaries (EFNs) to plant defense against herbivores, the influence of EFNs secretory activity pattern on predatory ants remains yet not fully understood. Here, we verified the relation between the extrafloral nectar production of a plant community in Cerrado in different times of the day, and its attractiveness to ants. The extrafloral nectaries (EFNs) of seven plant species showed higher productivity overnight. Ant abundance was higher in times of large extrafloral nectar production, however, there was no positive relation between ant richness on plants and EFNs productivity. There was temporal resource partitioning among ant species, and it indicates strong resource competition. The nectar productivity varied among plant species and time of the day, and it influenced the visitation patterns of ants. Therefore, EFNs are a key ant-plant interaction driver in the studied system.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Denise Lange
- Universidade Tecnológica Federal do Paraná, Campus Santa Helena, Santa Helena, PR, Brazil
| | - Eduardo Soares Calixto
- Pós-Graduação em Entomologia, Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Kleber Del-Claro
- Laboratório de Ecologia Comportamental e de Interações (LECI), Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Uberlândia, MG, Brazil
- * E-mail:
| |
Collapse
|
36
|
Bächtold A, Kaminski LA, Magaldi LM, Oliveira PS, Del-Claro K, Janzen DH, Burns JM, Grishin N, Hajibabaei M, Hallwachs W, Freitas AV. Integrative data helps the assessment of a butterfly within the Udranomia kikkawai species complex (Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae): Immature stages, natural history, and molecular evidence. ZOOL ANZ 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jcz.2016.11.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
|
37
|
Affiliation(s)
- L. Nahas
- Universidade Federal de Uberlândia; Uberlândia MG Brazil
| | - M. O. Gonzaga
- Instituto de Biologia; Universidade Federal de Uberlândia; Uberlândia MG Brazil
| | - K. Del-Claro
- Instituto de Biologia; Universidade Federal de Uberlândia; Uberlândia MG Brazil
| |
Collapse
|
38
|
Anjos DV, Caserio B, Rezende FT, Ribeiro SP, Del-Claro K, Fagundes R. Extrafloral-nectaries and interspecific aggressiveness regulate day/night turnover of ant species foraging for nectar on Bionia coriacea. AUSTRAL ECOL 2016. [DOI: 10.1111/aec.12446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Diego V. Anjos
- Departamento de Biodiversidade; Evolução e Meio Ambiente; Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto; Ouro Preto MG 35400-000 Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Entomologia; Universidade de São Paulo; Ribeirão Preto SP Brazil
| | - Bárbara Caserio
- Departamento de Biodiversidade; Evolução e Meio Ambiente; Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto; Ouro Preto MG 35400-000 Brazil
| | - Felipe T. Rezende
- Departamento de Biodiversidade; Evolução e Meio Ambiente; Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto; Ouro Preto MG 35400-000 Brazil
| | - Sérvio P. Ribeiro
- Departamento de Biodiversidade; Evolução e Meio Ambiente; Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto; Ouro Preto MG 35400-000 Brazil
| | - Kleber Del-Claro
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Entomologia; Universidade de São Paulo; Ribeirão Preto SP Brazil
- Instituto de Biologia; Universidade Federal de Uberlândia; Uberlândia MG Brazil
| | - Roberth Fagundes
- Departamento de Biodiversidade; Evolução e Meio Ambiente; Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto; Ouro Preto MG 35400-000 Brazil
| |
Collapse
|
39
|
Guillermo-Ferreira R, Vilela DS, Del-Claro K, Bispo PC. Erythrodiplax ana sp. nov. (Odonata: Libellulidae) from Brazilian palm swamps. Zootaxa 2016; 4158:292-300. [PMID: 27615887 DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4158.2.10] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2016] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
Erythrodiplax ana sp. nov. (male holotype, six male and three female paratypes), collected in Vereda wetlands (a unique Neotropical savanna environment) in Uberlândia (Minas Gerais) and Chapada dos Guimarães (Mato Grosso), Brazil, is described and illustrated. The new species fits in Borror's Basalis Group, and can be distinguished from other species by the combination of the following traits: blue pruinosity dorsally on thorax and third to eighth abdominal segments; sides of the thorax olive-green; face ivory or olive-green; wings hyaline with a small apical brown spot on all four wings, well defined in females; male genitalia with sclerotized erectile posterior lobe and inflatable sac-like median process. Last instar larvae were reared in the laboratory, resulting in the description of the larva. We also followed this population for 13 months and present resulting biological notes and comments on ontogenetic color change in males, as well as longevity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Diogo S Vilela
- Departament of Biological Sciences, Graduate Program in Entomology, São Paulo University - USP, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil; unknown
| | - Kleber Del-Claro
- Biology Institute, Federal University of Uberlândia-UFU, Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, Brazil; unknown
| | - Pitágoras C Bispo
- Department of Biological Sciences, São Paulo State University-UNESP, Assis, São Paulo, Brazil; unknown
| |
Collapse
|
40
|
Belchior C, Sendoya SF, Del-Claro K. Temporal Variation in the Abundance and Richness of Foliage-Dwelling Ants Mediated by Extrafloral Nectar. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0158283. [PMID: 27438722 PMCID: PMC4954677 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0158283] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2015] [Accepted: 06/13/2016] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Plants bearing extrafloral nectaries (EFNs) are common in the Brazilian cerrado savanna, where climatic conditions having marked seasonality influence arboreal ant fauna organization. These ant-plant interactions have rarely been studied at community level. Here, we tested whether: 1) EFN-bearing plants are more visited by ants than EFN-lacking plants; 2) ant visitation is higher in the rainy season than in dry season; 3) plants producing young leaves are more visited than those lacking young leaves in the rainy season; 4) during the dry season, plants with old leaves and flowers are more visited than plants with young leaves and bare of leaves or flowers; 5) the composition of visiting ant fauna differs between plants with and without EFNs. Field work was done in a cerrado reserve near Uberlândia, MG State, Brazil, along ten transects (total area 3,000 m2), in the rainy (October-January) and dry seasons (April-July) of 2010–2011. Plants (72 species; 762 individuals) were checked three times per season for ant presence. Results showed that 21 species (29%) and 266 individuals (35%) possessed EFNs. These plants attracted 38 ant species (36 in rainy, 26 in dry season). In the rainy season, plants with EFNs had higher ant abundance/richness than plants without EFNs, but in the dry season, EFN presence did not influence ant visitation. Plant phenology affected ant richness and abundance in different ways: plants with young leaves possessed higher ant richness in the rainy season, but in the dry season ant abundance was higher on plants possessing old leaves or flowers. The species composition of plant-associated ant communities, however, did not differ between plants with and without EFNs in either season. These findings suggest that the effect of EFN presence on a community of plant-visiting ants is context dependent, being conditioned to seasonal variation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ceres Belchior
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia e Conservação de Recursos Naturais, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Uberlândia MG, Brazil
| | - Sebastián F. Sendoya
- Departamento de Biologia Animal, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, C.P. 6109, Campinas SP, Brazil
| | - Kleber Del-Claro
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia e Conservação de Recursos Naturais, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Uberlândia MG, Brazil
- * E-mail:
| |
Collapse
|
41
|
de Sousa-Lopes B, Bächtold A, Del-Claro K. Biology, natural history and temporal fluctuation of the geometridOospila pallidariaassociated with host plant phenology. Studies on Neotropical Fauna and Environment 2016. [DOI: 10.1080/01650521.2016.1199140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
|
42
|
Bächtold A, Silva EA, Del-Claro K. Ants, plant characteristics and habitat conservation status affect the occurrence of myrmecophilous butterflies on an extrafloral nectaried Malpighiaceae. Studies on Neotropical Fauna and Environment 2016. [DOI: 10.1080/01650521.2016.1198192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
|
43
|
Alves-Silva E, Del-Claro K. On the inability of ants to protect their plant partners and the effect of herbivores on different stages of plant reproduction. AUSTRAL ECOL 2015. [DOI: 10.1111/aec.12307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Estevao Alves-Silva
- Institute of Biology; Federal University of Uberlândia; Ceará Str. 2D Building Umuarama Campus Uberlândia Minas Gerais 38400-902 Brazil
- Fachbereich Biologie; Technische Universität Darmstadt; Darmstadt Germany
| | - Kleber Del-Claro
- Institute of Biology; Federal University of Uberlândia; Ceará Str. 2D Building Umuarama Campus Uberlândia Minas Gerais 38400-902 Brazil
| |
Collapse
|
44
|
Abstract
Social parasitism is defined by the exploitation of the social mechanisms of one society by another whole society. Here, we use quantitative ecological data and experiments to identify the components of a new form of social parasitism by the recently discovered "mirror turtle ant," Cephalotes specularis. We show that C. specularis workers visually mimic and actively avoid contact with foragers of the hyperaggressive host ant Crematogaster ampla, allowing them to move freely in the extensive and otherwise defended foraging networks of host colonies. Workers from parasite colonies have immediate access to these networks by nesting exclusively within host territories, and 89% of all potential host territories were parasitized. Inside the network, parasite workers eavesdrop on the host's trail pheromones to locate and exploit food resources that are defended by the host to the exclusion of all other ants. Experiments demonstrated the unprecedented capacity of the parasite for superior foraging performance on its host's pheromone trails than on trails of its own. Considered together, the apparent Batesian-Wallacian mimicry, pheromone-based interceptive eavesdropping, kleptoparasitism, and xenobiotic nesting ecology displayed by C. specularis within the territory and foraging network of a host ant represents a novel adaptive syndrome for social exploitation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Scott Powell
- Department of Biological Sciences, George Washington University, Washington, DC
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
45
|
Stefani V, Pires TL, Torezan-Silingardi HM, Del-Claro K. Beneficial Effects of Ants and Spiders on the Reproductive Value of Eriotheca gracilipes (Malvaceae) in a Tropical Savanna. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0131843. [PMID: 26168036 PMCID: PMC4500414 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0131843] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2015] [Accepted: 06/06/2015] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Predators affect plant fitness when they forage on them and reduce the action of herbivores. Our study evaluates the complementary effects of spiders and ants that visit the extrafloral nectaries of Eriotheca gracilipes (Malvaceae) on the production of fruits and viable seeds of these savanna trees. Four experimental groups were established: control group – with free access of spiders and ants; exclusion group – spiders and ants excluded; ant group – absence of spiders; and spider group – absence of ants. The presence of ants reduced the spider richness; however, the presence of spiders did not affect the ant richness. A significantly higher number of fruits per buds were found in the presence of spiders alone or spiders and ants together (control group) compared with the absence of both predators (exclusion group). The number of seeds per fruits and seed viability were higher in the control group. This is the first study showing that spiders and ants may exert a positive and complementary effect on the reproductive value of an extrafloral nectaried plant. Mostly the impact of ants and/or spiders on herbivores is considered, whereas our study reinforces the importance of evaluating the effect of multiple predators simultaneously, exploring how the interactions among predators with distinct skills may affect the herbivores and the plants on which they forage.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Vanessa Stefani
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia e Conservação de Recursos Naturais, Laboratório de Ecologia Comportamental e de Interações (LECI), Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Uberlândia, MG, Brazil
| | - Tayna Lopes Pires
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia e Conservação de Recursos Naturais, Laboratório de Ecologia Comportamental e de Interações (LECI), Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Uberlândia, MG, Brazil
| | - Helena Maura Torezan-Silingardi
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia e Conservação de Recursos Naturais, Laboratório de Ecologia Comportamental e de Interações (LECI), Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Uberlândia, MG, Brazil
| | - Kleber Del-Claro
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia e Conservação de Recursos Naturais, Laboratório de Ecologia Comportamental e de Interações (LECI), Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Uberlândia, MG, Brazil
- * E-mail:
| |
Collapse
|
46
|
Del-Claro K, Marquis RJ. Ant Species Identity has a Greater Effect than Fire on the Outcome of an Ant Protection System in Brazilian Cerrado. Biotropica 2015. [DOI: 10.1111/btp.12227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Kleber Del-Claro
- Instituto de Biologia; Universidade Federal de Uberlândia (UFU); CP 593 Uberlândia MG CEP 38400-902 Brazil
| | - Robert J. Marquis
- Department of Biology and Whitney R. Harris World Ecology Center; University of Missouri-St. Louis; One University Boulevard; St. Louis MO 63121 U.S.A
| |
Collapse
|
47
|
|
48
|
Abstract
The threat sensitive hypothesis predicts that animals modulate the defensive behaviour with the level of threat. Therefore, responses to predator cues may differ from responses to the actual predator in close range. Also, in high threat situations, prey would be expected to use their most dangerous defences. The recluse spider Loxosceles gaucho (Araneae, Sicariidae) is known to prey upon well defended harvestmen such as the laniatorid Mischonyx cuspidatus (Opiliones, Gonyleptidae), which has been reported to use tanathosis, chemical defences, pinching with sharp apophyses on legs, chelicerae and pedipalps. Because of harvestmen’s dependence on chemical stimuli, we tested if M. cuspidatus would change its locomotory behaviour in the presence of chemicals of the recluse spider (low threat situation: spider vs blank vs chemical control; one at a time). Subsequently, we tested harvestmen behaviour in the presence of the spider in close range, a high-threat situation. Finally, we looked at the survival rate of spiders after being pierced by sharp apophyses that M. cuspidatus have on legs IV. The harvestmen only showed defensive behaviours in the high threat situation. Surprisingly, their mostly known defensive behaviours (chemical defence, tanathosis, pinching with chelicerae and pedipalps) were not seen even in the high threat situation. This is the first evidence that these behaviours are not used against a natural predator that has an almost 80% predation success when attacking harvestmen. Pinching with the sharp legs IV apophyses may perforate but do not kill the spiders. We highlight the importance of the traditional descriptive approach with natural predators to understand the specificities of defensive behaviours against different types of predator.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Júlio M.G. Segovia
- Instituto de Biologia, Bloco 2D 25, Campus Umuarama — Uberlândia — MG — CEP 38400-902, Brazil
- Laboratório de Ecologia Sensorial e Comportamento de Artrópodes (LESCA), Escola de Artes Ciências e Humanidades, Universidade de São Paulo, Rua Arlindo Béttio, 1000 — Ermelino Matarazzo — 03828-000, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Kleber Del-Claro
- Instituto de Biologia, Bloco 2D 25, Campus Umuarama — Uberlândia — MG — CEP 38400-902, Brazil
| | - Rodrigo Hirata Willemart
- Laboratório de Ecologia Sensorial e Comportamento de Artrópodes (LESCA), Escola de Artes Ciências e Humanidades, Universidade de São Paulo, Rua Arlindo Béttio, 1000 — Ermelino Matarazzo — 03828-000, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
- Programa de Pós Graduação em Zoologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- Programa de Pós Graduação em Ecologia e Evolução, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| |
Collapse
|
49
|
Alves-Silva E, Bächtold A, Barônio GJ, Torezan-Silingardi HM, Del-Claro K. Ant–herbivore interactions in an extrafloral nectaried plant: are ants good plant guards against curculionid beetles? J NAT HIST 2014. [DOI: 10.1080/00222933.2014.954020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
|
50
|
Bächtold A, Alves-Silva E, Kaminski LA, Del-Claro K. The role of tending ants in host plant selection and egg parasitism of two facultative myrmecophilous butterflies. Naturwissenschaften 2014; 101:913-9. [PMID: 25200736 DOI: 10.1007/s00114-014-1232-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2014] [Accepted: 08/27/2014] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Ovipositing adult females of myrmecophilous lycaenids are expected to select plants based on ant presence in order to maximize the survivorship of immature stages. Usually, larvae feed ants with honey-like solutions and, in turn, ants ward off parasitoids. Nonetheless, a rarely investigated approach is whether ant partners can also extend their protective behavior towards lycaenids eggs. Here, we investigated the ant-related oviposition pattern of Allosmaitia strophius and Rekoa marius; then, we compared egg parasitism according to the presence of ants. Lycaenid oviposition and egg parasitism (in percent) were experimentally compared in ant-present and ant-excluded treatments. The study plant, Heteropterys byrsonimifolia, is an extrafloral nectaried shrub which supports several ant species. We sampled 280 eggs, of which 39.65 % belonged to A. strophius and 60.35 % to R. marius. Both lycaenids eggs were significantly more abundant on branches with ants, especially those with Camponotus crassus and Camponotus blandus, two ant species known to attend to lycaenids. A. strophius and R. marius parasitism was 4.5- and 2.4-fold higher, respectively, in ant-present treatments, but the results were not statistically significant. Our study shows that ant-mediated host plant selection in lycaenids might be much more widespread than previously thought, and not restricted to obligate myrmecophilous species. Tending ants may be inefficient bodyguards of lycaenid eggs, because unlike larvae which release sugared liquids, eggs do not offer obvious rewards to ants. Ants can ward off parasitoids of larvae, as observed elsewhere, but our findings show that positive ant-lycaenid interactions are conditional and depend on immature ontogeny.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Bächtold
- Universidade de São Paulo, Avenida Bandeirantes no. 3900, CEP 14040901, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil,
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|