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Ant– Acacia interaction: Chemical or physical defense?
Author(s) -
ELBANNA Shereen M.
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
entomological research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.421
H-Index - 20
eISSN - 1748-5967
pISSN - 1738-2297
DOI - 10.1111/j.1748-5967.2011.00330.x
Subject(s) - acacia , herbivore , biology , ecosystem , ecology , myrmecophyte , ant , pollen , nectar
Two different ant– Acacia ecosystems at two different sites were investigated for comparing their lifestyles. One ecosystem is at St. Katherine's Protectorate and the other at Ismailia Province, Egypt. The defense mechanisms that each Acacia tree use against browsers were investigated. Seasonal and daily abundances of ants and other herbivores on two Acacia trees were studied. The study indicated different defense mechanisms used by these two Acacia species: Acacia use both physical and chemical defense mechanisms. The efficiency of both mechanisms in defending Acacia against herbivores and why Acacia trees preferred one mechanism to the other are discussed.