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Ant effects on three‐trophic level interactions: plant, galls, and parasitoids
Author(s) -
Fernandes G. W.,
Fagundes M.,
Woodman R. L.,
Price P. W.
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
ecological entomology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.865
H-Index - 81
eISSN - 1365-2311
pISSN - 0307-6946
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-2311.1999.00218.x
Subject(s) - biology , gall , parasitoid , hymenoptera , herbivore , parasitism , ecology , mutualism (biology) , myrmecophily , myrmecophyte , trophic level , foraging , gall wasp , host (biology) , nectar , pollen
Summary 1. Ants have evolved mutualistic relationships with a diverse array of plant and animal species. Usually, the predatory/aggressive behaviour of ants near food sources can limit herbivore damage. 2. Galls of Disholcaspis edura on Quercus turbinella produce a secretion that is harvested by three species of ants ( Formica neorufibarbis , Liometopium apiculatum , and Monomorium cyaneum ) in the chaparral vegetation of Arizona, U.S.A. The study reported here provides evidence of a mutualistic relationship between these species of ants and the gall‐forming wasp Disholcaspis edura . 3. An ant exclusion experiment showed that when ants tended galls, the rate of parasitism by Platygaster sp. on Disholcaspis edura was nearly halved in comparison to a treatment in which ants were excluded. 4. In the presence of ants, galls with the largest diameter suffered a lower mortality rate due to parasitoid attack than when ants were excluded. Thus, ant presence reduced the selective pressure imposed by Platygaster sp. on the galls with larger diameter.