The influence of <i>Dolichoderus thoracicus</i> (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) on losses due to <i>Helopeltis theivora</i> (Heteroptera: Miridae), black pod disease, and mammalian pests in cocoa in Malaysia

Khoo, K. C.; Ho, Cheng Tuck

doi:10.1017/s0007485300042553

Cited by 27 publications

(17 citation statements)

References 16 publications

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“…In inoculation tests, we showed that Philidris workers and their nest material are highly infested with spores of P. palmivora. Dolichoderus workers had a certain infection potential, but it was much lower (see electronic supplementary material, Invertebrate vectors of Phytophthora have been observed before [3] and Dolichoderus ants were even discussed as possible vector [44]. But here we show that the transmission efficiency is highly associated to specific behavioural traits and may differ widely even between related species.…”

Section: (D) Ant Community Effects On Fruit Losses Owing To Diseasesmentioning

confidence: 54%

Interaction complexity matters: disentangling services and disservices of ant communities driving yield in tropical agroecosystems

et al. 2014

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Owing to complex direct and indirect effects, impacts of higher trophic levels on plants is poorly understood. In tropical agroecosystems, ants interact with crop mutualists and antagonists, but little is known about how this integrates into the final ecosystem service, crop yield. We combined ant exclusion and introduction of invasive and native-dominant species in cacao agroecosystems to test whether (i) ant exclusion reduces yield, (ii) dominant species maximize certain intermediate ecosystem services (e.g. control of specific pests) rather than yield, which depends on several, cascading intermediate services and (iii) even, species-rich ant communities result in highest yields. Ants provided services, including reduced leaf herbivory and fruit pest damage and indirect pollination facilitation, but also disservices, such as increased mealybug density, phytopathogen dissemination and indirect pest damage enhancement. Yields were highest with unmanipulated, species-rich, even communities, whereas ant exclusion decreased yield by 27%. Introduction of an invasivedominant ant decreased species density and evenness and resulted in 34% lower yields, whereas introduction of a non-invasive-dominant species resulted in similar species density and yields as in the unmanipulated control. Species traits and ant community structure affect services and disservices for agriculture in surprisingly complex ways, with species-rich and even communities promoting highest yield.

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Section: (D) Ant Community Effects On Fruit Losses Owing To Diseasesmentioning

confidence: 54%

Interaction complexity matters: disentangling services and disservices of ant communities driving yield in tropical agroecosystems

et al. 2014

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“…In fact, arboreal ants attracted to hemipteran honeydew have long been utilized to control nonhoneydew-producing herbivore pests in several tree crops (Way & Khoo 1992). For example, growers manipulate colonies of Dolichoderus ants in cocoa (Theobroma cacao) and sapodilla (Manilkara zapota) plantations in Southeast Asia, because the mealy bug-tending ants protect cocoa pods and sapodilla fruits from damage by mirids (Heteroptera; Khoo & Ho 1992) and pyralid larvae (Lepidoptera; Van Mele & Cuc 2001) without any direct yield loss caused by the mealy bugs. However, far less is known about the net effects of ant-hemipteran interactions on herbaceous crop plants in more ephemeral systems, such as row and vegetable crops.…”

Section: Effects Of Ant-hemipteran Interactions On Host Plant Damage mentioning

confidence: 99%

Ecological consequences of interactions between ants and honeydew-producing insects

2006

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Interactions between ants and honeydew-producing hemipteran insects are abundant and widespread in arthropod food webs, yet their ecological consequences are very poorly known. Ant–hemipteran interactions have potentially broad ecological effects, because the presence of honeydew-producing hemipterans dramatically alters the abundance and predatory behaviour of ants on plants. We review several studies that investigate the consequences of ant–hemipteran interactions as ‘keystone interactions’ on arthropod communities and their host plants. Ant–hemipteran interactions have mostly negative effects on the local abundance and species richness of several guilds of herbivores and predators. In contrast, out of the 30 studies that document the effects of ant–hemipteran interactions on plants, the majority (73%) shows that plants actually benefit indirectly from these interactions. In these studies, increased predation or harassment of other, more damaging, herbivores by hemipteran-tending ants resulted in decreased plant damage and/or increased plant growth and reproduction. The ecological consequences of mutualistic interactions between honeydew-producing hemipterans and invasive ants relative to native ants have rarely been studied, but they may be of particular importance owing to the greater abundance, aggressiveness and extreme omnivory of invasive ants. We argue that ant–hemipteran interactions are largely overlooked and underappreciated interspecific interactions that have strong and pervasive effects on the communities in which they are embedded.

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“…A meta-analysis of studies in natural and agricultural systems showed that the greater the diversity of predators, the lower the herbivore community, and consequently, the growth and reproduction of plants increase (Schmitz et al, 2000). Besides affecting the community of herbivores, ants may also reduce fungal pathogens, eliminating spores (de la Fuente & Marquis, 1999) or restricting the interactions between plants and disease vectors (Khoo & Ho, 1992).…”

Section: Ant Communities and Habitat Complexitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Ant Community in Neotropical Agrosystems: A Four-Year Study in Conventional and No-Tillage Systems

et al. 2018

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Studies comparing agricultural practices that maintain a better quality and a healthy soil fauna consider the no-tillage farming as the most effective practice when compared to other planting techniques. In order to evaluate the influence of the no-tillage and conventional tillage methods (with and without manipulation of the soil before planting, respectively) on ant communities, we monitored two areas with these two types of practice (conventional and no-tillage) over the period of four years. We collected ants once per month along 10 transects randomly distributed using three pitfall traps in each area. In addition, we collected the dead plant biomass present at each point sampled as a parameter for measuring the environmental complexity of the areas. In total, we captured 27,480 individuals belonging to 26 species in the no-tillage area and 24,570 individuals belonging to 24 species in the conventional tillage area. The generalised linear model analysis showed that the no-tillage system had the highest abundance of individuals, as well as richness and diversity of species, during most of the study period, as compared to conventional tillage areas. We also found a significant positive correlation between species richness and dead plant biomass. Thus, it is possible to infer that the no-tillage area is a more complex environment with a greater diversity of ants and, therefore, a more sustainable agrosystem as compared to conventional tillage areas.

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The influence of Dolichoderus thoracicus (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) on losses due to Helopeltis theivora (Heteroptera: Miridae), black pod disease, and mammalian pests in cocoa in Malaysia

Cited by 27 publications

References 16 publications

Interaction complexity matters: disentangling services and disservices of ant communities driving yield in tropical agroecosystems

Interaction complexity matters: disentangling services and disservices of ant communities driving yield in tropical agroecosystems

Ecological consequences of interactions between ants and honeydew-producing insects

Ant Community in Neotropical Agrosystems: A Four-Year Study in Conventional and No-Tillage Systems

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