Induced responses to herbivory in the Neotropical ant-plant association between Azteca ants and Cecropia trees: response of ants to potential inducing cues

Plant defense against herbivores often involves constitutive and inducible mechanisms of resistance. Obligate ant-plants, which provide food and housing for ants, are thought to primarily rely on ants for defense against herbivores. This form of plant defense has largely been viewed as static. We have been investigating the dynamic nature of Azteca ants as an inducible defense of Cecropia trees. Ants rapidly recruit to and patrol sites of foliar damage. We propose that Azteca ants can be viewed as an inducible defense for Cecropia trees because of their sensitivity to cues associated with herbivory, their rapid and aggressive recruiting ability, and their reclaimable and redeployable nature as a plant defense. In this study, we examine ant behavior following plant damage, and the potential cues that indude ant recruitment. We found that ants present on leaves when the plant is damaged leave the damaged leaf and recruit other ants to it, presumably by laying recruitment trails. Volatile leaf cues associated with herbivory were important in eliciting an induced response in two experiments. However, we found that cues associated with a congeneric plant elicited a much stronger ant response than conspecific cues. Although the type of leaf damage (gaping wounds versus leaf edge wounds) did not affect the level of ant recruitment, the extent of damage did. Leaves with one hole punched showed a 50% increase in ants, while leaves with five holes punched in them elicited a 100% increase in ant numbers. In sum, it appears that multiple plant-related cues associated with herbivory are involved in induction of ant recruitment in the Cecropia-Azteca system. We discuss the generality of ant responses to herbivory in obligate ant-plant systems, and in facultative ant-plant associations, which may be more common. Received: 23 March 1998 / Accepted after revision: 5 July 1998     

Strategies of a parasite of the ant–<Emphasis Type="Italic">Acacia</Emphasis> mutualism

Mutualisms can be exploited by parasites—species that obtain resources from a partner but provide no services. Though the stability of mutualisms in the presence of such parasites is under intensive investigation, we have little information on life history traits that allow a species to be a successful mutualist or rather a parasite, particularly in cases where both are closely related. We studied the exploitation of Acacia myrmecophytes by the ant, Pseudomyrmex gracilis, contrasting with the mutualistic ant Pseudomyrmex ferrugineus. P. gracilis showed no host-defending behavior and had a negative effect on plant growth. By preventing the mutualist from colonization, P. gracilis imposes opportunity costs on the host plant. P. gracilis produced smaller colonies with a higher proportion of alates than did the mutualist and thus showed an “r-like” strategy. This appears to be possible because P. gracilis relies less on host-derived food resources than does the mutualist, as shown by behavioral and stable isotope studies. We discuss how this system allows the identification of strategies that characterize parasites of mutualisms.     

Foraging responses in the butterflies <Emphasis Type="Italic">Inachis io</Emphasis>, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Aglais urticae</Emphasis> (Nymphalidae), and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Gonepteryx rhamni</Emphasis> (Pieridae) to floral scents

Summary. For butterflies to be efficient foragers, they need to be able to recognize rewarding flowers. Flower signals such as colours and scents assist this recognition process. For plant species to attract and keep butterflies as pollinators, species-specific floral signals are crucial. The aim of this study is to investigate foraging responses to floral scents in three temperate butterfly species, Inachis io L. (Nymphalidae), Aglais urticae L. (Nymphalidae), and Gonepteryx rhamni L. (Pieridae), in behavioural choice bioassays. The butterflies were allowed to choose bet-ween flower models varying in scent and colour (mauve or green). Flowers or vegetative parts from the plants Centaurea scabiosa L. (Asteraceae), Cirsium arvense (L.) (Asteraceae), Knautia arvensis (L.) (Dipsacaceae), Buddleja davidii Franchet (Loganicaeae), Origanum vulgareL. (Lamiaceae), Achillea millefolium L. (Asteraceae), and Philadelphus coronarius L. (Hydrangiaceae) were used as scent sources. All visits to the models — those that included probing and those that did not — were counted, as was the duration of these behaviours. Both flower-naive and flower-experienced (conditioned to sugar-water rewards, the colour mauve, and specific floral scents) butterflies were tested for their preference for floral versus vegetative scents, and to floral scent versus colour. The butterflies were also tested for their ability to switch floral scent preferences in response to rewards. Flower-naive butterflies demonstrated a preference for the floral scent of the butterfly-favourable plants C. arvense and K. arvensis over the floral scent of the non-favourable plants Achillea millefolium (Asteraceae), and Philadelphus coronarius cv. (Hydrangiaceae). Most of the butterflies that were conditioned to floral scents of either C. arvense, K. arvensis, or B. davidii readily switched theirfloral scent preferences to the one most recently associated with reward, thus demonstrating that floral scent constancy is a result from learning. These findings suggest that these butterflies use floral scent as an important cue signal to initially identify and subsequently recognize and distinguish among rewarding plants. Received 2 September 2001; accepted 9 September 2002.     

Tolerance of Mediterranean seagrasses (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Posidonia oceanica</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Cymodocea nodosa</Emphasis>) to hypersaline stress: water relations and osmolyte concentrations

The present study examines for the first time the effects of increased salinity on water relations and osmolyte (carbohydrates and amino acids) concentrations in two Mediterranean seagrass species, Posidonia oceanica and Cymodocea nodosa, which are adapted to growth in environments with contrasting salinity and have a known differential sensitivity to alterations in ambient salinity. The specific aim was to obtain insights into their respective capacities to cope with natural or anthropogenically induced (e.g. desalination plants) hypersaline stress and its ecological implications. To this end, large plant fragments of both seagrass species were maintained for 47 days in a laboratory mesocosm system under ambient salinity (37 psu; control) and three chronic hypersaline conditions (39, 41 and 43 psu). Analyses of leaf-tissue osmolality indicated that both species followed a dehydration avoidance strategy, decreasing their leaf water potential (Ψ_w) as the external salinity increased, but using different physiological mechanisms: whereas P. oceanica leaves exhibited a reduction in osmotic potential (Ψ_π), C. nodosa leaves maintained osmotic stability through a decrease in turgor pressure (Ψ_p) probably mediated through cell-hardening processes. Accordingly, the concentrations of soluble sugars and some amino acids (mainly Pro and Gly) suggested the activation of osmoregulatory processes in P. oceanica leaves, but not in C. nodosa leaves. Osmotic adjustments probably interfered with leaf growth and shoot survival of P. oceanica under hypersaline stress, whereas C. nodosa showed a more efficient physiological capacity to maintain plant performance under the same experimental conditions. These results are consistent with the more euryhaline ecological behaviour of C. nodosa and contribute to understanding the high vulnerability shown by P. oceanica to even mild increments in seawater salinity.     

Uranium Accumulation of Crop Plants Enhanced by Citric Acid

Citric acid was applied to soil to enhance U accumulation in four crop plants. While the highest enhanced U accumulation of aboveground tissues (a.c. 2000 mg kg⁻¹ dry weight) occurred in the leaves of Indian mustard (Brassica juncea), the highest enhanced U accumulation of roots (a.c. 3500 mg kg⁻¹ dry weight) occurred in canola (Brassica napus var. napus). Uranium translocation among tissues of test plants is in the relation of roots>shoots ≅ leaves. The flowers of sunflower (Helianthus annuus) contained similar or higher U concentrations than those found in shoots, but concentrations in seeds are close to zero. In conclusion, Indian mustard is recommended as a potential species for phytoextraction for U-contaminated soil due to its high U accumulation of aboveground biomass (a.c. 2200 μg per plant). There is no evidence that two types of soils cause a significant difference of the enhanced U accumulation (p<0.05). Results, however, indicate that additional citric acid may result in downward U migration that may contaminate groundwater. Speciation of U that is taken up by plants is also discussed in the end.     

Density-mediated, context-dependent consumer-resource interactions between ants and extrafloral nectar plants

Interspecific interactions are often mediated by the interplay between resource supply and consumer density. The supply of a resource and a consumer's density response to it may in turn yield context-dependent use of other resources. Such consumer-resource interactions occur not only for predator-prey and competitive interactions, but for mutualistic ones as well. For example, consumer-resource interactions between ants and extrafloral nectar (EFN) plants are often mutualistic, as EFN resources attract and reward ants which protect plants from herbivory. Yet, ants also commonly exploit floral resources, leading to antagonistic consumer-resource interactions by disrupting pollination and plant reproduction. EFN resources associated with mutualistic ant-plant interactions may also mediate antagonistic ant-flower interactions through the aggregative density response of ants on plants, which could either exacerbate ant-flower interactions or alternatively satiate and distract ants from floral resources. In this study, we examined how EFN resources mediate the density response of ants on senita cacti in the Sonoran Desert and their context-dependent use of floral resources. Removal of EFN resources reduced the aggregative density of ants on plants, both on hourly and daily time scales. Yet, the increased aggregative ant density on plants with EFN resources decreased rather than increased ant use of floral resources, including contacts with and time spent in flowers. Behavioral assays showed no confounding effect of floral deterrents on ant-flower interactions. Thus, ant use of floral resources depends on the supply of EFN resources, which mediates the potential for both mutualistic and antagonistic interactions by increasing the aggregative density of ants protecting plants, while concurrently distracting ants from floral resources. Nevertheless, only certain years and populations of study showed an increase in plant reproduction through herbivore protection or ant distraction from floral resources. Despite pronounced effects of EFN resources mediating the aggregative density of ants on plants and their context-dependent use of floral resources, consumer-resource interactions remained largely commensalistic.     

Choosing rewarding flowers; perceptual limitations and innate preferences influence decision making in bumblebees and honeybees

Flowers exhibit great intra-specific variation in the rewards they offer. At any one time, a significant proportion of flowers often contain little or no reward. Hence, foraging profitably for floral rewards is problematic and any ability to discriminate between flowers and avoid those that are less rewarding will confer great advantages. In this study, we examine discrimination by foraging bees among flowers of nasturtium, Tropaeolum majus. Bee visitors included carpenter bees, Xylocopa violacea, which were primary nectar robbers; honeybees, Apis mellifera, which either acted as secondary nectar robbers or gathered pollen legitimately and bumblebees, Bombus hortorum, which were the only bees able to gather nectar legitimately. Many flowers were damaged by phytophagous insects. Nectar volume was markedly lower in flowers with damaged petals (which were also likely to be older) and in flowers that had nectar-robbing holes. We test whether bees exhibit selectivity with regards to the individual flowers, which they approach and enter, and whether this selectivity enhances foraging efficiency. The flowers approached (within 2 cm) by A. mellifera and B. hortorum were non-random when compared to the floral population; both species selectively approached un-blemished flowers. They both approached more yellow flowers than would be expected by chance, presumably a reflection of innate colour preferences, for nectar standing crop did not vary according to flower colour. Bees were also more likely to accept (land on) un-blemished flowers. A. mellifera gathering nectar exhibited selectivity with regards to the presence of robbing holes, being more likely to land on robbed flowers (they are not able to feed on un-robbed flowers). That they frequently approached un-robbed flowers suggests that they are not able to detect robbing holes at long-range, so that foraging efficiency may be limited by visual acuity. Nevertheless, by using a combination of long-range and short-range selectivity, nectar-gathering A. mellifera and B. hortorum greatly increased the average reward from the flowers on which they landed (by 68% and 48%, respectively) compared to the average standing crop in the flower population. Overall, our results demonstrate that bees use obvious floral cues (colour and petal blemishes) at long-range, but can switch to using more subtle cues (robbing holes) at close range. They also make many mistakes and some cues used do not correlate with floral rewards.     

Ant gardens: interspecific recognition in parabiotic ant species

 In French Guiana, parabiotic societies (natural mixed colonies) are frequently found in ant gardens. Crematogaster limata parabiotica (Myrmicinae), often associated with Camponotus femoratus (Formicinae), was found for the first time in parabiosis with ponerine ants: Pachycondyla goeldii and Odontomachus mayi. A detailed study of the relationships between Cr. l. parabiotica and O. mayi showed that each species is aggressive towards allospecific or conspecific individuals belonging to another colony, but tolerates allospecific individuals from the multi-species society. Studies of cuticular substances of the four ant species were made using gas chromatography. The results showed that each species, living alone or in parabiosis, possesses a specific chemical profile. Thus, the ants are able to recognise nestmate and non-nestmate individuals of the associated species, even though their cuticular profiles are different. The hypothesis that the nestmate allospecific profile is learned is suggested to explain this pattern of recognition. Received: 5 June 1996 / Accepted after revision: 17 October 1996     

Analysis of annual fluctuations of C. nodosa in the Venice lagoon: Modeling approach

A simple simulation model was developed to describe the growth trends of Cymodocea nodosa (Ucria) Ascherson based on data sets from the Venice lagoon. The model reproduces the seasonal fluctuations in the above and belowground biomass and in shoot density. The modeling results are in good agreement with data on net production, growth rates and chemical–physical parameters of water. It was assumed that light and temperature are the most important factors controlling C. nodosa development, and that the growth was not limited by nutrient availability. The aim was to simulate biomass production as a function of external forcing variables (light, water temperature) and internal control (plant density). A series of simulation experiments were performed with the basic model showing that among the most important phenomena affecting C. nodosa growth are: (1) inhibition of production and recruitment of new shoots by high temperature and (2) light attenuation due to seasonal fluctuation.     

Wanted dead or alive: high diversity of macroinvertebrates associated with living and ‘dead’ Posidonia oceanica matte

The Mediterranean endemic seagrass Posidonia oceanica forms beds characterised by a dense leaf canopy and a thick root-rhizome ‘matte’. Death of P. oceanica shoots leads to exposure of the underlying matte, which can persist for many years, and is termed ‘dead’ matte. Traditionally, dead matte has been regarded as a degraded habitat. To test whether this assumption was true, the motile macroinvertebrates of adjacent living (with shoots) and dead (without shoots) matte of P. oceanica were sampled in four different plots located at the same depth (5–6 m) in Mellieha Bay, Malta (central Mediterranean). The total number of species and abundance were significantly higher (ANOVA; P<0.05 and P<0.01, respectively) in the dead matte than in living P. oceanica matte, despite the presence of the foliar canopy in the latter. Multivariate analysis (MDS) clearly showed two main groups of assemblages, corresponding to the two matte types. The amphipods Leptocheirus guttatus and Maera grossimana, and the polychaete Nereis rava contributed most to the dissimilarity between the two different matte types. Several unique properties of the dead matte contributing to the unexpected higher number of species and abundance of motile macroinvertebrates associated with this habitat are discussed. The findings have important implications for the conservation of bare P. oceanica matte, which has been generally viewed as a habitat of low ecological value.     

Emission of oilseed rape volatiles after pollen beetle infestation; behavioural and electrophysiological responses in the parasitoid <Emphasis Type="Italic">Phradis morionellus</Emphasis>

Summary. The pollen beetle, Meligethes aeneus, is an important pest of oilseed rape, Brassica napus. Larvae of this species feed only in the buds and flowers of Brassicaceae. One important natural enemy of this beetle is the parasitoid Phradis morionellus that attacks larvae in buds and flowers and also feeds on the flowers. The preferences for odours of non-infested and infested rape were tested for both starved and fed parasitoids in Y-tube olfactometer experiments. The volatile blend released from pollen beetle-infested and non-infested flowering rape and from pollen beetle larvae was identified and quantified. Gas chromatography-electroantennodetection analyses were performed with female P. morionellus. Parasitoids in both treatment groups preferred infested rape, but the proportion of responding female P. morionellus was significantly lower for the group that was starved. Six of the 20 volatiles identified were released at higher rates from infested rape than from non-infested. None of these compounds was found in pollen beetle larvae headspace. P. morionellus antennae detected both major and minor components in the volatile blend. The volatiles released at a significantly higher rate from infested rape and detected by P. morionellus antennae were (Z)-3-hexenylacetate, (Z)-3-hexenol, 3-butenyl isothiocyanate and (E,E)-α-farnesene.     

Queen–worker–brood coadaptation rather than conflict may drive colony resource allocation in the ant Temnothorax curvispinosus

Conflicts of interest among genetically heterogeneous nestmates in social insect colonies have been emphasized as driving colony resource allocation. However, potential intracolonial conflicts may not actually be realized so that resource allocation could be shaped primarily by among-colony selection that maximizes colony productivity. To elucidate the causal basis of patterns of resource allocation, I experimentally manipulated three fundamental aspects of colony social structure (relatedness among workers, relatedness among larvae, and queen presence) in the ant Temnothorax curvispinosus and measured effects on colony resource allocation to new workers, gynes, and males. The experimental manipulations had widespread effects on patterns of colony resource allocation, but there was little evidence for realized conflicts over the sex ratio and caste ratio. Decreasing nestmate relatedness caused decreased colony productivity, suggesting that more closely related nestmates have more favorably interacting phenotypes. Together, these results suggest that resource allocation in T. curvispinosus may be shaped more by among-colony selection than intracolonial conflict, leading to queen–worker–brood coadaptation.     

Spatial and temporal variation in the elemental and stable isotopic content of the seagrasses <Emphasis Type="Italic">Posidonia oceanica</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Cymodocea nodosa</Emphasis> from the Illes Balears,Spain

Morphology, elemental content and isotopic composition of leaves of the seagrasses Posidonia oceanica and Cymodocea nodosa were highly variable across the Illes Balears, a Spanish archipelago in the western Mediterranean, and varied seasonally at one site in the study area. The data presented in this paper generally expand the reported ranges of nitrogen, phosphorus, iron and arsenic content and δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N for these species. Nitrogen and phosphorus content of P. oceanica leaves also showed significant seasonal variability; on an annual basis, P. oceanica leaves averaged 1.55% N and 0.14% P at this monitoring site. Both N and P were more concentrated in the leaves in winter than in summer, with winter maxima of 1.76% N and 0.17% P and summer minima of 1.34% N and 0.11% P. There was no significant annual pattern observed in the δ¹³C of P. oceanica leaves, but there was a repeated 0.6‰ seasonal fluctuation in δ¹⁵N. Mean annual δ¹⁵N was 4.0‰; δ¹⁵N was lowest in May and it increased through the summer and autumn to a maximum in November. Over the geographic range of our study area, there were interspecific differences in the carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus content of the two species. Posidonia oceanica N:P ratios were distributed around the critical value of 30:1 while the ratios for C. nodosa were lower than this value, suggesting P. oceanica we collected was not consistently limited by N or P while C. nodosa tended toward nitrogen limitation. Nutrient content was significantly correlated to morphological indicators of plant vigor. Fe content of P. oceanica leaves varied by a factor of 5×, with a minimum of 31.1 μg g⁻¹ and a maximum of 167.7 μg g⁻¹. Arsenic was present in much lower tissue concentrations than Fe, but the As concentrations were more variable; the maximum concentration of 1.60 μg g⁻¹ was eight times as high as the minimum of 0.20 μg g⁻¹. There were interspecific differences in δ¹³C of the two species; C. nodosa was consistently more enriched (δ¹³C = −7.8 ± 1.7‰) than P. oceanica (−13.2 ± 1.2‰). The δ¹³C of both species decreased significantly with increasing water depth. Depth related and regional variability in the δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N of both species were marked, suggesting that caution needs to be exercised when applying stable isotopes in food web analyses.     

Reproduction in the seagrass Zostera novazelandica on intertidal platforms in southern New Zealand

This study investigates the reproductive periodicity and reproductive output of the seagrass Zostera novazelandica on two intertidal reefs. Peak numbers of flowering shoots occurred during March (late summer) of two years at both sites and no flowering shoots occurred during the winter months of July to September. There were greater numbers of flowering shoots in seagrass patches in the low intertidal zone (up to an average of 55 per 0.1 m²) compared to the middle (up to 20 per 0.1 m²) and upper (up to 9 per 0.1 m²) zones, and about three times greater reproductive output in patches associated with tidepools compared to those not bordering tidepools. The average number of inflorescences per shoot was 3.1 (±0.25) at one site vs 1.2 (±0.08) at the other, and showed a progressive decrease from the lower shore to the upper shore. Patches associated with tidepools had twice the number of inflorescences per shoot (2.8 ± 0.24) than patches not bordering tidepools (1.5 ± 0.16). The number of flowering shoots was highly correlated with leaf width, leaf length, and ramet density, while the leaf-area index decreased from the lower shore to the upper shore. The reproductive effort of plants, as measured by the percent biomass invested in flowering shoots during peak reproduction, was significantly different between sites, tidepool associations, and shore level. For all the variables measured, there was considerable spatial variation, with significant interaction terms between most factors investigated. In laboratory experiments, more inflorescences were produced at light intensities of 30 and 300 μE m⁻² s⁻¹ than at 100 μE m⁻² s⁻¹. At a salinity of 17‰, 1.5 × the number of flowers was produced than at 33‰, while none was formed at 70‰. Plants cultured at 5 °C had about three times the number of inflorescences than those at 15 °C, while none was formed at 25 °C. Received: 25 June 1997 / Accepted: 24 September 1997     

Characterization of the benthic vegetation in the Farwà Lagoon (Libya)

This study forms part of the Action Plan for the Conservation of Marine Vegetation in the Mediterranean SEa (United Nation Environmental Program). It was carried out in June 2000 in the Farwà Lagoon, Libya. The mapping of the main benthic vegetation was achieved by compiling the field observations (transect method), and remote sensing of SPOT satellite images. The phytobenthos in the Farwà lagoon covers an area of 1820 ha (65%). Three benthic macrophyte species dominate, namely the marine phanerogamsCymodocea nodosa andPosidonia oceanica, and the algaCaulerpa prolifera. DeadPosidonia oceanica leaves (litter) form veritable mounds in the vicinity of the openings leading to open sea. These leaves, which come from the coastal sea, are brought into the lagoon by currents and tides; their decomposition will lead to high oxygen consumption and the release of hydrogen sulphide. The phenological data ofPosidonia oceanica shoots sampled in the lagoon are similar to those from other stations in the Mediterranean. Conversely, the lepidochronological parameters of shoots sampled in the central part of the lagoon exhibit values that are substantially higher than those generally recorded in the Mediterranean. The mean number of leaves produced annually is 9.9 (mean value for the Mediterranean: 7.5) and the rhizome growth rate is of 35.7 mm.yr⁻¹ (mean value for the Mediterranean: 7.5 mm.yr⁻¹). This hypersaline environment would seem to provide optimum growth conditions for the speciesPosidonia oceanica.     

Teams in social insects: group retrieval of prey by army ants (Eciton burchelli,Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

Summary Eciton burchelli workers frequently form groups to retrieve large prey items. Such groups have a definite structure. There is a constant relationship between total ant dry weight and prey item dry weight for both individual porters and groups, and this relation is such that a larger weight of ant or ants can carry disproportionately heavy items. Furthermore, all prey items are carried at a standard retrieval speed. This means that groups are superefficient; they can carry items that are so large that if they were fragmented the original members of the group would be unable to carry all the fragments. Groups also have a distinct caste distribution. There is a significant tendency for each group to have a single submajor, the specialist porter caste in Eciton burchelli. These findings which were verified by experiments suggest that groups fulfill the criteria of efficient teams. The biomechanics are proposed to explain the superefficiency of groups. The organization of co-operation is considered as is the role of teams in the economy of these societies. Colony caste profiles can only be understood by examining the role of teams which form a plastic supercaste.     

Integrating phenological, chemical and biotic defences in ant-plant protection mutualisms: a case study of two myrmecophyte lineages

Summary. We examined the role of plant phenology in the evolution of anti-herbivore defence in symbiotic ant-plant protection mutualisms. Phenology of the host-plant affects traits of its herbivores, including size, growth rate, development time, and gregariousness. Traits of herbivores in turn determine what traits ants must have to protect their host. Diversity in plant phenological traits could thus help explain the great ecological diversity of coevolved ant-plant mutualisms. We explored the postulated causal chain linking phenology of the plant, herbivore adaptations to phenology, and ant adaptations for protection, by comparing two myrmecophytes presenting strong contrasts in phenology. In Leonardoxa africana, a slow-growing understory tree, growth at each twig terminal is intermittent, the rapid flushing of a single leaf-bearing internode being followed by a pause of several months. In contrast, axes of Barteria nigritana, a tree of open areas, grow continuously. Analysis of the phenology (kinetics of expansion) and chemistry of leaf development (contents of chlorophylls, lignin, and nitrogen during leaf growth) showed that these two species exhibit strongly contrasting strategies. Leonardoxa exhibited a delayed greening strategy, with rapid expansion of leaves during a short period, followed by synthesis of chlorophylls and lignins only after final leaf size has been reached. In contrast, leaves of Barteria expanded more slowly, with chlorophylls and lignin gradually synthesised throughout development. Differences in the phenology of leaf development are reflected in differences in the duration of larval development, and thereby in size, of the principal lepidopteran herbivores observed on these two plants. This difference may in turn have led to different requirements for effective defence by ants. The strategy of phenological defence may thus affect the evolution of biotic defence.     

Chemical communication and coevolution in an ant–plant mutualism

Protective ant–plant interactions provide valuable model systems to study mutualisms. Here, we summarise our recent research on chemical and physiological adaptations that contribute to the stabilisation of the mutualism between Mesoamerican Acacia host plants and their Pseudomyrmex ant inhabitants against exploiters, that is, species using host-derived rewards without rendering a service. Acacia hosts produce food bodies (FBs) and extrafloral nectar (EFN). Both types of reward are chemically adapted to their specific function as ant food and protected from different exploiters. FBs contained higher amounts of specific proteins than the leaves from which they originate. EFN possessed amino acids making it attractive for the mutualist ants and an invertase making its carbohydrate composition nutritionally suitable for the mutualists but unattractive for generalists. Moreover, pathogenesis-related proteins such as glucanases, chitinases and peroxidases were found in EFN, which likely serve as protection from microorganisms. Digestive adaptations were found that make workers of the ant mutualists dependent on the host-derived food sources, a mechanism that likely counteracts the evolution of cheaters. The ants also possessed a high diversity of bacterial associates, several of which appeared involved in nitrogen fixation, thus contributing to the nutrition of these ‘vegetarian’ ants. By contrast, a non-defending ant species that parasitises the host plants appeared physiologically less adapted to the host-derived food rewards; this species, thus, likely is competitively inferior when colony growth is limited by plant-derived rewards. In summary, several physiological adaptations of both host plants and ants stabilise the Acacia–Pseudomyrmex mutualism against exploitation.     

Is flower scent influencing host plant selection of leaf-galling sawflies (Hymenoptera, Tenthredinidae) on willows?

Though it is known that flower scent not only attracts pollinators but also herbivores, little is known about the importance of flower scent on the distribution of leaf herbivores among individuals within a plant species. In this study we determined the distribution of galls induced by the sawfly Pontania proxima (Serville 1823) (Hymenoptera, Tenthredinidae, Nematinae) on flowering and non-flowering representatives of several clones belonging to Salix fragilis and S. × rubens (Salicaceae). Further, amounts and composition of scent of flowering and non-flowering twigs were compared (dynamic headspace-gas chromatography–mass spectrometry, DHS-GC–MS), and a scent sample collected from flowering twigs of S. fragilis was tested by coupled gas chromatography and electroantennographic detection (GC-EAD) on the antennae of P. proxima females. The results show that the presence of flower catkins on plants led to a higher degree of allocation with galls, but the number of galls differed not between flowering and non-flowering plants. The DHS-GC–MS analyses revealed that the total amount of flower scent emitted per flowering twig is about 90 times higher than the scent emitted by a non-flowering twig. Further, several compounds were emitted only by flowering but not by non-flowering twigs. In the GC-EAD analyses, antennae consistently responded not only to green leaf volatiles, but also to compounds emitted only by the flowers (e.g. 1,4-dimethoxybenzene). These flower scent compounds are suggested to affect the host plant choice by attracting more sawflies from the distance to flowering plants compared to non-flowering plants. The EAD-active compounds emitted from vegetative plant parts are assumed to act as long-distance signals especially when flowers are absent on host plants, e.g. during the oviposition period of the second generation of P. proxima.     

Mutualism as reciprocal exploitation: African plant-ants defend foliar but not reproductive structures

The foundation of many plant-ant mutualisms is ant protection of plants from herbivores in exchange for food and/or shelter. While the role of symbiotic ants in protecting plants from stem- and leaf-feeding herbivores has been intensively studied, the relationship between ant defense and measures of plant fitness has seldom been quantified. We studied ant aggression, damage by herbivores and seed predators, and fruit production among Acacia drepanolobium trees occupied by four different acacia-ant species in an East African savanna. Levels of ant aggression in response to experimental disturbance differed strongly among the four species. All four ant species recruited more strongly to new leaf growth on host plants following disturbance, while recruitment to developing fruits was on average an order of magnitude lower. Host plants occupied by more aggressive ant species suffered significantly less vegetative damage from leaf-feeding insects, stem-boring beetles, and vertebrate browsers than host plants occupied by less aggressive ant species. However, there were no differences among fruiting host plants occupied by different ant species in levels of seed predation by bruchid seed predators. Fruit production on host trees was significantly correlated with tree stem diameter but not with the identity of resident ants. Our results demonstrate that defense of host plants may differ substantially among ant species and between vegetative and reproductive structures and that fruit production is not necessarily correlated with high levels of aggression by resident ants.