Species traits and environmental characteristics together regulate ant‐associated biodiversity

Campbell, Kaitlin U.; Crist, Thomas O.

doi:10.1002/ece3.2276

Cited by 6 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 49 publications

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“…Symbionts have a dual niche composed of traits of their hosts and the abiotic environment external to the hosts (Krasnov et al ., ; Campbell & Crist, ). Here we propose that the relative relevance of the external environment and host traits to the symbiont's niche should depend on the life history of the symbiont and the homeostatic properties of hosts (Fig.…”

Section: Particularities Of the Symbionts' Nichementioning

confidence: 99%

“…The interactions between an organism and its biotope determine, to a great extent, how the organism experiences and alters the environment. Symbionts experience a dual environment with a biotic component composed of traits of the host bodies where symbionts live, and the abiotic conditions external to the hosts (Krasnov et al, 2015;Campbell & Crist, 2016;Fig. 2).…”

Section: (2) Symbiont-biotope Interactions Mediated By a Dual Environmentioning

confidence: 99%

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A niche perspective on the range expansion of symbionts

2019

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Range expansion results from complex eco‐evolutionary processes where range dynamics and niche shifts interact in a novel physical space and/or environment, with scale playing a major role. Obligate symbionts (i.e. organisms permanently living on hosts) differ from free‐living organisms in that they depend on strong biotic interactions with their hosts which alter their niche and spatial dynamics. A symbiotic lifestyle modifies organism–environment relationships across levels of organisation, from individuals to geographical ranges. These changes influence how symbionts experience colonisation and, by extension, range expansion. Here, we investigate the potential implications of a symbiotic lifestyle on range expansion capacity. We present a unified conceptual overview on range expansion of symbionts that integrates concepts grounded in niche and metapopulation theories. Overall, we explain how niche‐driven and dispersal‐driven processes govern symbiont range dynamics through their interaction across scales, from host switching to geographical range shifts. First, we describe a background framework for range dynamics based on metapopulation concepts applied to symbiont organisation levels. Then, we integrate metapopulation processes operating in the physical space with niche dynamics grounded in the environmental arena. For this purpose, we provide a definition of the biotope (i.e. living place) specific to symbionts as a hinge concept to link the physical and environmental spaces, wherein the biotope unit is a metapopulation patch (either a host individual or a land fragment). Further, we highlight the dual nature of the symbionts' niche, which is characterised by both host traits and the external environment, and define proper conceptual variants to provide a meaningful unification of niche, biotope and symbiont organisation levels. We also explore variation across systems in the relative relevance of both external environment and host traits to the symbiont's niche and their potential implications on range expansion. We describe in detail the potential mechanisms by which hosts, through their function as biotopes, could influence how some symbionts expand their range – depending on the life history and traits of both associates. From the spatial point of view, hosts can extend symbiont dispersal range via host‐mediated dispersal, although the requirement for among‐host dispersal can challenge symbiont range expansion. From the niche point of view, homeostatic properties of host bodies may allow symbiont populations to become insensitive to off‐host environmental gradients during host‐mediated dispersal. These two potential benefits of the symbiont–host interaction can enhance symbiont range expansion capacity. On the other hand, the central role of hosts governing the symbiont niche makes symbionts strongly dependent on the availability of suitable hosts. Thus, environmental, dispersal and biotic barriers faced by suitable hosts apply also to the symbiont, unless eventual opportunities for host switch...

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Section: Particularities Of the Symbionts' Nichementioning

confidence: 99%

Section: (2) Symbiont-biotope Interactions Mediated By a Dual Environmentioning

confidence: 99%

A niche perspective on the range expansion of symbionts

2019

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“…A symbiotic lifestyle alters organism–environment relationships because it partitions the niche space into two main components: host individual traits and the abiotic environment (Campbell & Crist, ; Krasnov et al, ). One potential advantage of symbiosis is the function of host bodies as ‘environmental stabilizers’, buffering the effects of the off‐host environment on symbiont fitness (Hairston & Bohonak, ; Mestre et al, ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, this is not necessarily the case, especially for organisms that are tightly linked to others (Stewart et al, ), such as symbionts (i.e., species which depend upon other species for a place to live). Symbionts have a dual niche composed of traits of the individual hosts which harbour them, and the abiotic environment external to the host, and often combine active dispersal at finer scales with host‐mediated dispersal at broader scales (Campbell & Crist, ; Krasnov et al, ). Hypersymbionts (i.e., symbionts of other symbionts) in a sense have a threefold niche—the external environment, traits of the basal host sustaining the symbiotic host and traits of the symbiotic host itself.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The interplay of nested biotic interactions and the abiotic environment regulates populations of a hypersymbiont

Mestre

Poulin

Holt

et al. 2019

Journal of Animal Ecology

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1. The role of biotic interactions in shaping the distribution and abundance of species should be particularly pronounced in symbionts. Indeed, symbionts have a dual niche composed of traits of their individual hosts and the abiotic environment external to the host, and often combine active dispersal at finer scales with hostmediated dispersal at broader scales. The biotic complexity in the determinants of species distribution and abundance should be even more pronounced for hypersymbionts (symbionts of other symbionts).2. We use a chain of symbiosis to explore the relative influence of nested biotic interactions and the abiotic environment on occupancy and abundance of a hypersymbiont.3. Our empirical system is the epibiont ciliate Lagenophrys discoidea, which attaches to an ostracod that is itself ectosymbiotic on crayfish (the basal host). We applied multimodel selection and variance partitioning for GLMM to assess the relative importance of (a) traits of symbiotic hosts (ostracod sex and abundance), (b) traits of basal hosts (crayfish body weight, abundance and intermoult stage), (c) the abiotic environment (water chemistry and climate) and (d) geospatial autocorrelation patterns (capturing potential effects of crayfish dispersal among localities). 4.Our models explained about half of the variation in prevalence and abundance of the hypersymbiont. Variation in prevalence was partly explained, in decreasing order of importance (18%-4%) by shared effects of symbiotic host traits and the abiotic environment, pure fixed effects of symbiotic hosts, abiotic environment and geospatial patterns (traits of basal hosts were not relevant). Hypersymbiont abundance was most strongly explained by random effects of host traits (mainly the symbiotic host), in addition to weaker fixed effects (mostly abiotic environment). Our resultshighlight the major role of the interplay between abundance of symbiotic hosts and water physico-chemistry in regulating populations of a | 1999 Journal of Animal Ecology MESTRE ET al. S U PP O RTI N G I N FO R M ATI O N Additional supporting information may be found online in the Supporting Information section at the end of the article. How to cite this article: Mestre A, Poulin R, Holt RD, et al. The interplay of nested biotic interactions and the abiotic environment regulates populations of a hypersymbiont.

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“…Under these conditions of higher availability of resources, nutrients, and constant temperatures, nests can serve as diversity hot spots within a grassland. Nests can be homes to commensal and parasitic insect species (Campbell and Crist 2016 ), including other ant species such as Solenopsis molesta that is commonly found nesting within nests of other species, or social parasitic ant species (e.g., Polyergus spp.) that can usurp control within nests and force the host species to raise their offspring (Ellison et al 2012 ).…”

Section: Ant As Ecosystem Engineersmentioning

confidence: 99%

The role of ants in north temperate grasslands: a review

Wills

Landis

2017

Oecologia

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Historic and current land-use changes have altered the landscape for grassland biota, with over 90% of grasslands and savannas converted to agriculture or some other use in north temperate regions. Reintegrating grasslands into agricultural landscapes can increase biodiversity while also providing valuable ecosystem services. In contrast to their well-known importance in tropical and subtropical ecosystems, the role of ants in temperate grasslands is often underappreciated. As consumers and ecosystem engineers, ants in temperate grasslands influence invertebrate, plant, and soil microbial diversity and potentially alter grassland productivity. As common and numerically dominant invertebrates in grasslands, ants can also serve as important indicator species to monitor conservation and management practices. Drawing on examples largely from mesic, north temperate studies, and from other temperate regions where necessary, we review the roles of ants as consumers and ecosystem engineers in grasslands. We also identify five avenues for future research to improve our understanding of the roles of ants in grasslands. This includes identifying how grassland fragmentation may influence ant community assembly, quantifying how ant communities impact ecosystem functions and soil processes, and understanding how ant communities and their associated interactions are impacted by climate change. In synthesizing the role of ants in temperate grasslands and identifying knowledge gaps, we hope this and future work will help inform how land managers maximize grassland conservation value while increasing multiple ecosystem services and minimizing disservices.

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Species traits and environmental characteristics together regulate ant‐associated biodiversity

Cited by 6 publications

References 49 publications

A niche perspective on the range expansion of symbionts

A niche perspective on the range expansion of symbionts

The interplay of nested biotic interactions and the abiotic environment regulates populations of a hypersymbiont

The role of ants in north temperate grasslands: a review

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