Facultative Mutualism between Weedy Vetches Bearing Extrafloral Nectaries and Weedy Ants in California

Koptur, Suzanne

doi:10.2307/2442565

Cited by 89 publications

(107 citation statements)

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“…The main components of extrafloral nectar are glucose, fructose and sucrose, and these sugars are preferred by many ant species (Koptur, 1992). Koptur (1979) and Katayama and Suzuki (2004) examined ant attraction by removing EFNs from the plants in a similar manner to this study. In addition, in this study, workers of both T. tsushimae and L. japonicus passed through the parts where EFNs were removed without being affected by them; therefore, it is likely that these ants neither avoid the "artificial injury" to the plant nor are attracted to it.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Extrafloral nectaries indirectly protect small aphid colonies via ant-mediated interactions

Katayama

Suzuki

2010

Appl. Entomol. Zool.

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When ant-tended aphids parasitize plants with extrafloral nectaries (EFNs), ant-mediated indirect interactions occur between the plants and aphids. In particular, when an aphid colony is small, the honeydew production of the colony is insufficient to attract ants, although EFNs can attract many ants. Under this condition, we asked whether a small aphid colony would gain indirect benefits from EFNs because ants would be attracted by the EFNs instead of the aphids, or whether the aphid colony would suffer strong predatory pressure from ants and/or other predators. To clarify the aphid-plant interactions, the protective services provided by two ant species, Lasius japonicus and Tetramorium tsushimae, for the survival of a small colony of Aphis craccivora were examined on the host plant, Vicia faba, with and without EFNs. More workers of both ant species were recruited to the plants with EFNs than to those without EFNs, and the larvae of a predatory ladybird beetle, Coccinella septempunctata, stayed for a shorter time and preyed on a smaller number of aphids on the plants with EFNs than on those without EFNs. In addition, no negative effects of EFNs, such as predation of the aphids by the ants, were found. Consequently, it is suggested that a small aphid colony gains indirect benefits from the EFNs of its host plant.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Extrafloral nectaries indirectly protect small aphid colonies via ant-mediated interactions

Katayama

Suzuki

2010

Appl. Entomol. Zool.

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“…A number of studies have provided the ultimate proof for the defensive function of extrafloral nectaries by demonstrating that herbivory reduction by ants actually translates to an increased reproductive fitness of nectar-providing plants (Koptur, 1979;Rico-Gray and Thien, 1989;Oliveira, 1997;Wagner, 1997). In the most extreme cases, unattended plants die as result of herbivory in the absence of ants (Janzen, 1966).…”

Section: The Need For More Field Datamentioning

confidence: 99%

Recruitment of predators and parasitoids by herbivore-injured plants

Turlings

Wäckers

2004

Advances in Insect Chemical Ecology

300

258

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“…It has been demonstrated that removing nectaries from plants can substantially reduce the number of ants on a plant (Koptur 1979). In New Guinea, Whalen and Mackay (1988) were able to demonstrate the reduction of herbivory on Macaranga by ants, but comparable experiments in Australia on euphorb trees did not show an effect (Mackay and Whalen 1991), perhaps due to lower herbivore pressure with increasing latitude, or decreasing productivity of the environment making biotic defence less efficient for the plants.…”

Section: Experiments On Ant Protectionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Diversity of ant-plant interactions: protective efficacy in Macaranga species with different degrees of ant association

Fiala¹,

et al. 1994

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The pioneer tree Macaranga in SE Asia has developed manyfold associations with ants. The genus comprises all stages of interaction with ants, from facultative relationships to obligate myrmecophytes. Only myrmecophytic Macaranga offer nesting space for ants and are associated with a specific ant partner. The nonmyrmecophytic species are visited by a variety of different ant species which are attracted by extrafloral nectaries (EFN) and food bodies. Transitional Macaranga species like M. hosei are colonized later in their development due to their stem structure. Before the colonization by their specific Crematogaster partner the young plants are visited by different ant species attracted by EFN. These nectaries are reduced and food body production starts as soon as colonization becomes possible. We demonstrated earlier that obligate ant partners can protect their Macaranga plants against herbivore damage and vine cover. In this study we focused on nonspecific interactions and studied M. tanarius and M. hosei, representing a non-myrmecophyte and a transitional species respectively. In ant exclusion experiments both M. tanarius and M. hosei suffered significantly higher mean leaf damage than controls, 37% versus 6% in M. hosei, 16% versus 7% in M. tanarius. M. tanarius offers both EFN and food bodies so that tests for different effects of these two food rewards could be conducted. Plants with food bodies removed but with EFN remaining had the lowest mean increase of herbivore damage of all experimental groups. Main herbivores on M. hosei were mites and caterpillars. Many M. tanarius plants were infested by a shootborer. Both Macaranga species were visited by various ant species. Crematogaster spp. being the most abundant. We found no evi- dence for any specific relationships. The results of this study strongly support the hypothesis that non-specific, facultative associations with ants can be advantageous for Macaranga plants. Food bodies appear to have lower attractive value for opportunistic ants than EFN and may require a specific dietary adaptation. This is also indicated by the fact that food body production in the transitional M. hosei does not start before stem structure allows a colonization by the obligate Crematogaster species. M. hosei thus benefits from facultative association with a variety of ants until it produces its first domatia and can be colonized by its obligate mutualist.

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Facultative Mutualism between Weedy Vetches Bearing Extrafloral Nectaries and Weedy Ants in California

Cited by 89 publications

References 0 publications

Extrafloral nectaries indirectly protect small aphid colonies via ant-mediated interactions

Extrafloral nectaries indirectly protect small aphid colonies via ant-mediated interactions

Recruitment of predators and parasitoids by herbivore-injured plants

Diversity of ant-plant interactions: protective efficacy in Macaranga species with different degrees of ant association

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