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  • 1
    Electronic Resource
    Electronic Resource
    Studies of a South East Asian ant-plant association: protection of Macaranga trees by Crematogaster borneensis (1989)
    Springer
    Oecologia 79 (1989), S. 463-470 
    Details
    ISSN: 1432-1939
    Keywords: Ant/plant interaction ; Myrmecophytes ; Protection ; Macaranga ; Crematogaster borneensis
    Source: Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
    Topics: Biology
    Notes: Summary In the humid tropics of SE Asia there are some 14 myrmecophytic species of the pioneer tree genus Macaranga (Euphorbiaceae). In Peninsular Malaysia a close association exists between the trees and the small, non-stinging myrmicine Crematogaster borneensis. These ants feed mainly on food bodies provided by the plants and have their colonies inside the hollow internodes. In a ten months field study we were able to demonstrate for four Macaranga species (M. triloba, M. hypoleuca, M. hosei, M. hulletti) that host plants also benefit considerably from ant-occupation. Ants do not contribute to the nutrient demands of their host plant, they do, however, protect it against herbivores and plant competition. Cleaning behaviour of the ants results in the removal of potential hervivores already in their earliest developmental stages. Strong aggressiveness and a mass recruiting system enable the ants to defend the host plant against many herbivorous insects. This results in a significant decrease in leaf damage due to herbivores on ant-occupied compared to ant-free myrmecophytes as well as compared to non-myrmecophytic Macaranga species. Most important is the ants' defense of the host plant against plant competitors, especially vines, which are abundant in the well-lit pioneer habitats where Macaranga grows. Ants bite off any foreign plant part coming into contact with their host plant. Both ant-free myrmecophytes and non-myrmecophytic Macaranga species had a significantly higher incidence of vine growth than specimens with active ant colonies. This may be a factor of considerable importance allowing Macaranga plants to grow at sites of strongest competition.
    Type of Medium: Electronic Resource
    URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF00378662
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  • 2
    Electronic Resource
    Electronic Resource
    Diversity of ant-plant interactions: protective efficacy in Macaranga species with different degrees of ant association (1994)
    Springer
    Oecologia 97 (1994), S. 186-192 
    Details
    ISSN: 1432-1939
    Keywords: Ant-plant interactions ; Herbivory Macaranga ; Mutualism ; Myrmecophytes
    Source: Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
    Topics: Biology
    Notes: Abstract The pioneer tree Macaranga in SE Asia has developed manyfold associations with ants. The genus comprises all stages of interaction with ants, from facultative relationships to obligate myrmecophytes. Only myrmecophytic Macaranga offer nesting space for ants and are associated with a specific ant partner. The nonmyrmecophytic species are visited by a variety of different ant species which are attracted by extrafloral nectaries (EFN) and food bodies. Transitional Macaranga species like M. hosei are colonized later in their development due to their stem structure. Before the colonization by their specific Crematogaster partner the young plants are visited by different ant species attracted by EFN. These nectaries are reduced and food body production starts as soon as colonization becomes possible. We demonstrated earlier that obligate ant partners can protect their Macaranga plants against herbivore damage and vine cover. In this study we focused on nonspecific interactions and studied M. tanarius and M. hosei, representing a non-myrmecophyte and a transitional species respectively. In ant exclusion experiments both M. tanarius and M. hosei suffered significantly higher mean leaf damage than controls, 37% versus 6% in M. hosei, 16% versus 7% in M. tanarius. M. tanarius offers both EFN and food bodies so that tests for different effects of these two food rewards could be conducted. Plants with food bodies removed but with EFN remaining had the lowest mean increase of herbivore damage of all experimental groups. Main herbivores on M. hosei were mites and caterpillars. Many M. tanarius plants were infested by a shootborer. Both Macaranga species were visited by various ant species, Crematogaster spp. being the most abundant. We found no evidence for any specific relationships. The results of this study strongly support the hypothesis that non-specific, facultative associations with ants can be advantageous for Macaranga plants. Food bodies appear to have lower attractive value for opportunistic ants than EFN and may require a specific dietary adaptation. This is also indicated by the fact that food body production in the transitional M. hosei does not start before stem structure allows a colonization by the obligate Crematogaster species. M. hosei thus benefits from facultative association with a variety of ants until it produces its first domatia and can be colonized by its obligate mutualist.
    Type of Medium: Electronic Resource
    URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF00323148
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