Plant defense, herbivory, and the growth of Cordia alliodora trees and their symbiotic Azteca ant colonies.

Oecologia
Elizabeth G PringleDeborah M Gordon

Abstract

The effects of herbivory on plant fitness are integrated over a plant's lifetime, mediated by ontogenetic changes in plant defense, tolerance, and herbivore pressure. In symbiotic ant-plant mutualisms, plants provide nesting space and food for ants, and ants defend plants against herbivores. The benefit to the plant of sustaining the growth of symbiotic ant colonies depends on whether defense by the growing ant colony outpaces the plant's growth in defendable area and associated herbivore pressure. These relationships were investigated in the symbiotic mutualism between Cordia alliodora trees and Azteca pittieri ants in a Mexican tropical dry forest. As ant colonies grew, worker production remained constant relative to ant-colony size. As trees grew, leaf production increased relative to tree size. Moreover, larger trees hosted lower densities of ants, suggesting that ant-colony growth did not keep pace with tree growth. On leaves with ants experimentally excluded, herbivory per unit leaf area increased exponentially with tree size, indicating that larger trees experienced higher herbivore pressure per leaf area than smaller trees. Even with ant defense, herbivory increased with tree size. Therefore, although larger trees had l...Continue Reading

References

Mar 25, 2005·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Michael Kaspari
May 17, 2006·Trends in Ecology & Evolution·Karina Boege, Robert J Marquis
Jul 3, 2009·Ecology·Megan E Frederickson, Deborah M Gordon
Sep 1, 2009·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Martin HeilJuan Carlos Silva Bueno
Feb 23, 2010·The American Naturalist·Kasey E Barton, Julia Koricheva
Aug 25, 2010·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·E Glen WeylNaomi E Pierce
Sep 22, 2010·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Todd M PalmerRobert M Pringle
Oct 29, 2010·Proceedings. Biological Sciences·Emmanuel DefossezRumsaïs Blatrix
May 13, 2011·Ecology·Elizabeth G PringleDeborah M Gordon
Mar 1, 1989·Oecologia·J L Harper
Jul 1, 1995·Journal of Chemical Ecology·M R Berenbaum
Jan 1, 2009·Language Learning and Development : the Official Journal of the Society for Language Development·Daniel J WeissAaron D Mitchel
May 1, 1999·Oecologia·Diane Wagner, Deborah M Gordon

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Citations

Nov 14, 2013·PLoS Biology·Elizabeth G PringleDeborah M Gordon
May 9, 2014·Proceedings. Biological Sciences·Elizabeth G Pringle
Sep 16, 2015·Molecular Ecology·Valeria B Salinas-RamosElizabeth L Clare
Aug 9, 2013·Annals of Botany·Kasey E Barton, Mick E Hanley
Dec 21, 2018·Scientific Reports·Peter R MartingStephen C Pratt

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Related Concepts

Trending Feeds

COVID-19

Coronaviruses encompass a large family of viruses that cause the common cold as well as more serious diseases, such as the ongoing outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19; formally known as 2019-nCoV). Coronaviruses can spread from animals to humans; symptoms include fever, cough, shortness of breath, and breathing difficulties; in more severe cases, infection can lead to death. This feed covers recent research on COVID-19.

Blastomycosis

Blastomycosis fungal infections spread through inhaling Blastomyces dermatitidis spores. Discover the latest research on blastomycosis fungal infections here.

Nuclear Pore Complex in ALS/FTD

Alterations in nucleocytoplasmic transport, controlled by the nuclear pore complex, may be involved in the pathomechanism underlying multiple neurodegenerative diseases including Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Dementia. Here is the latest research on the nuclear pore complex in ALS and FTD.

Applications of Molecular Barcoding

The concept of molecular barcoding is that each original DNA or RNA molecule is attached to a unique sequence barcode. Sequence reads having different barcodes represent different original molecules, while sequence reads having the same barcode are results of PCR duplication from one original molecule. Discover the latest research on molecular barcoding here.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Chronic fatigue syndrome is a disease characterized by unexplained disabling fatigue; the pathology of which is incompletely understood. Discover the latest research on chronic fatigue syndrome here.

Evolution of Pluripotency

Pluripotency refers to the ability of a cell to develop into three primary germ cell layers of the embryo. This feed focuses on the mechanisms that underlie the evolution of pluripotency. Here is the latest research.

Position Effect Variegation

Position Effect Variagation occurs when a gene is inactivated due to its positioning near heterochromatic regions within a chromosome. Discover the latest research on Position Effect Variagation here.

STING Receptor Agonists

Stimulator of IFN genes (STING) are a group of transmembrane proteins that are involved in the induction of type I interferon that is important in the innate immune response. The stimulation of STING has been an active area of research in the treatment of cancer and infectious diseases. Here is the latest research on STING receptor agonists.

Microbicide

Microbicides are products that can be applied to vaginal or rectal mucosal surfaces with the goal of preventing, or at least significantly reducing, the transmission of sexually transmitted infections. Here is the latest research on microbicides.