Publications des scientifiques de l'IRD

Dejean A., Orivel J., Rossi V., Roux Olivier, Lauth J., Male P. J. G., Cereghino R., Leroy Céline. (2013). Predation success by a plant-ant indirectly favours the growth and fitness of its host myrmecophyte. Plos One, 8 (3), p. e59405. ISSN 1932-6203.

Titre du document
Predation success by a plant-ant indirectly favours the growth and fitness of its host myrmecophyte
Année de publication
2013
Type de document
Article référencé dans le Web of Science WOS:000316407400109
Auteurs
Dejean A., Orivel J., Rossi V., Roux Olivier, Lauth J., Male P. J. G., Cereghino R., Leroy Céline
Source
Plos One, 2013, 8 (3), p. e59405 ISSN 1932-6203
Mutualisms, or interactions between species that lead to net fitness benefits for each species involved, are stable and ubiquitous in nature mostly due to "byproduct benefits' stemming from the intrinsic traits of one partner that generate an indirect and positive outcome for the other. Here we verify if myrmecotrophy (where plants obtain nutrients from the refuse of their associated ants) can explain the stability of the tripartite association between the myrmecophyte Hirtella physophora, the ant Allomerus decemarticulatus and an Ascomycota fungus. The plant shelters and provides the ants with extrafloral nectar. The ants protect the plant from herbivores and integrate the fungus into the construction of a trap that they use to capture prey; they also provide the fungus and their host plant with nutrients. During a 9-month field study, we over-provisioned experimental ant colonies with insects, enhancing colony fitness (i.e., more winged females were produced). The rate of partial castration of the host plant, previously demonstrated, was not influenced by the experiment. Experimental plants showed higher delta N-15 values (confirming myrmecotrophy), plus enhanced vegetative growth (e. g., more leaves produced increased the possibility of lodging ants in leaf pouches) and fitness (i.e., more fruits produced and more flowers that matured into fruit). This study highlights the importance of myrmecotrophy on host plant fitness and the stability of ant-myrmecophyte mutualisms.
Plan de classement
Sciences du monde végétal [076] ; Sciences du monde animal [080] ; Etudes, transformation, conservation du milieu naturel [082]
Description Géographique
GUYANE ; AMAZONIE
Localisation
Fonds IRD [F B010060773]
Identifiant IRD
fdi:010060773
Contact