Gram-negative bacteria associated with a dominant arboreal ant species outcompete phyllosphere-associated bacteria species in a tropical canopy

Bitar, M. R.; Pinto, Victor Diniz; Moreira, Leandro Márcio; Ribeiro, Sérvio Pontes

doi:10.1007/s00442-021-04878-y

Cited by 3 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 78 publications

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“…Many aspects of such interactions, including those between organisms of different phyla and with contrasting life histories, have so far been studied in non‐parasitic plants and without considering the possible bottom‐up effects (such as nutrient and metabolite exchange, cross‐talks with co‐existing organismic communities). Little‐studied associations that are particularly interesting when applied to the mistletoe‐host plant system include the reciprocal relationships between plant visitation by different insect guilds and the composition of phyllosphere‐associated microbial communities (Bitar et al, 2021; Goelen et al, 2020), or the effects of nectar microbiota on plant pollination success (Rering et al, 2020). The perennial above‐ground growth habit and easily traced physical contact with the host in mistletoes (in contrast to the root‐hemiparasites) make them a perfect model for studying functional links within and between different trophic levels to reveal interlevel nutrient and energy flux pathways, patterns of horizontal gene transfer, and large‐scale trends in ecosystem functioning.…”

Section: Conclusion and Future Perspectivesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Consuming and consumed: Biotic interactions of African mistletoes across different trophic levels

et al. 2022

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Mistletoes, as perennial hemiparasitic angiosperms that parasitize woody plants, are an important component of the highly diverse, endemically rich and mosaic African flora, which is attributed to the Holarctic, Paleotropical, and Cape Floristic kingdoms.The richness of African mistletoes from the Loranthaceae and Viscaceae, along with many aspects of their biology and ecology, was covered in the comprehensive monograph of Polhill and Wiens (1998, Mistletoes of Africa, Royal Botanic Gardens). The present review is devoted to the taxonomic and functional diversity of symbionts associated with mistletoes in Africa and adjacent islands that contribute to the major biological functions of mistletoes, such as establishment and growth, nutrition and fitness, resistance to external stresses, as well as pollination and dispersal. These functions are favored by more or less distinct sets of associated bionts, including host plants, animal herbivores, frugivorous birds, nectar-and pollen-feeding insects, and endophytic microorganisms. A separate section is devoted to mistletoe epiparasitism as a special case of host selection. All these organisms, which are components of the mistletoe-associated community and multitrophic network, define the role of mistletoes as keystone species. Some aspects of the symbiont communities are compared here with patterns reported for mistletoes from other continents, particularly to identify potential relationships that remain to be explored for the African species. In addition, properties of endophytic mistletoe associates that contribute to the plant's communication with coexisting organisms are considered. We also highlight the important gaps of knowledge of the functioning of mistletoe-associated communities in Africa and indicate some applied issues that need future attention.

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Section: Conclusion and Future Perspectivesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Consuming and consumed: Biotic interactions of African mistletoes across different trophic levels

et al. 2022

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Habitat and Host Species Drive the Structure of Bacterial Communities of Two Neotropical Trap-Jaw Odontomachus Ants

et al. 2022

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Bacterial diversity in arboreal ant nesting spaces is linked to colony developmental stage

Nepel,

Mayer,

Barrajon-Santos

et al. 2023

Commun Biol

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The omnipresence of ants is commonly attributed to their eusocial organization and division of labor, however, bacteria in their nests may facilitate their success. Like many other arboreal ants living in plant-provided cavities, Azteca ants form dark-colored “patches” in their nesting space inside Cecropia host plants. These patches are inhabited by bacteria, fungi and nematodes and appear to be essential for ant colony development. Yet, detailed knowledge of the microbial community composition and its consistency throughout the life cycle of ant colonies was lacking. Amplicon sequencing of the microbial 16S rRNA genes in patches from established ant colonies reveals a highly diverse, ant species-specific bacterial community and little variation within an individual ant colony, with Burkholderiales, Rhizobiales and Chitinophagales being most abundant. In contrast, bacterial communities of early ant colony stages show low alpha diversity and no ant species-specific community composition. We suggest a substrate-caused bottleneck after vertical transmission of the bacterial patch community from mother to daughter colonies. The subsequent ecological succession is driven by environmental parameters and influenced by ant behavior. Our study provides key information for future investigations determining the functions of these bacteria, which is essential to understand the ubiquity of such patches among arboreal ants.

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Gram-negative bacteria associated with a dominant arboreal ant species outcompete phyllosphere-associated bacteria species in a tropical canopy

Cited by 3 publications

References 78 publications

Consuming and consumed: Biotic interactions of African mistletoes across different trophic levels

Consuming and consumed: Biotic interactions of African mistletoes across different trophic levels

Habitat and Host Species Drive the Structure of Bacterial Communities of Two Neotropical Trap-Jaw Odontomachus Ants

Bacterial diversity in arboreal ant nesting spaces is linked to colony developmental stage

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