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Patterns of the crematogaster-macaranga association: the ant partner makes the difference

One of the most species-rich ant-plant mutualisms worldwide is the palaeotropical Crematogaster-Macaranga system. Although the biogeography and ecology of both partners have been extensively studied, little is known about the temporal structuring and the dynamics of the association. In this study we...

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Main Authors: Hashim, Rosli, Feldhaar, H., Fiala, B., Maschwitz, U.
Format: Article
Published: 2003
Subjects:
QH301 Biology
Online Access:http://eprints.um.edu.my/8281/
http://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007%2Fs000400300002.pdf
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spelling my.um.eprints.82812019-01-24T09:01:50Z http://eprints.um.edu.my/8281/ Patterns of the crematogaster-macaranga association: the ant partner makes the difference Hashim, Rosli Feldhaar, H. Fiala, B. Maschwitz, U. QH301 Biology One of the most species-rich ant-plant mutualisms worldwide is the palaeotropical Crematogaster-Macaranga system. Although the biogeography and ecology of both partners have been extensively studied, little is known about the temporal structuring and the dynamics of the association. In this study we compared life-history traits of the specific Crematogaster (Decacrema) partner-ants and followed the development of ant colonies on eight different Macaranga host plant species, from colony founding on saplings to adult trees in a snapshot fashion. We found differences in the onset of alate production, queen number and mode of colony founding in the ant species and examined the consequences of these differences for the mutualism with the host plant. The lifespan of some host plants and their specific ant partners seemed to be well matched whereas on others we found an ontogenetic succession of specific partner ants. The partner ants of saplings or young plants often differed from specific partner ants found on larger trees of the same species. Not all specific Crematogaster species can re-colonize the crown region of adult trees, thus facilitating a change of ant species. Therefore lifespan of the ant colony as well as colony founding behaviour of the different partner ant species are important for these ontogenetic changes. The lifespan of a colony of two species can be prolonged via secondary polygyny. For the first time, also primary polygyny (pleometrosis) is reported from this myrmecophytic system. 2003 Article PeerReviewed Hashim, Rosli and Feldhaar, H. and Fiala, B. and Maschwitz, U. (2003) Patterns of the crematogaster-macaranga association: the ant partner makes the difference. Insectes Sociaux, 50 (1). pp. 9-19. ISSN 0020-1812 http://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007%2Fs000400300002.pdf 10.1007/s000400300002
institution Universiti Malaya
building UM Library
collection Institutional Repository
continent Asia
country Malaysia
content_provider Universiti Malaya
content_source UM Research Repository
url_provider http://eprints.um.edu.my/
topic QH301 Biology
spellingShingle QH301 Biology
Hashim, Rosli
Feldhaar, H.
Fiala, B.
Maschwitz, U.
Patterns of the crematogaster-macaranga association: the ant partner makes the difference
description One of the most species-rich ant-plant mutualisms worldwide is the palaeotropical Crematogaster-Macaranga system. Although the biogeography and ecology of both partners have been extensively studied, little is known about the temporal structuring and the dynamics of the association. In this study we compared life-history traits of the specific Crematogaster (Decacrema) partner-ants and followed the development of ant colonies on eight different Macaranga host plant species, from colony founding on saplings to adult trees in a snapshot fashion. We found differences in the onset of alate production, queen number and mode of colony founding in the ant species and examined the consequences of these differences for the mutualism with the host plant. The lifespan of some host plants and their specific ant partners seemed to be well matched whereas on others we found an ontogenetic succession of specific partner ants. The partner ants of saplings or young plants often differed from specific partner ants found on larger trees of the same species. Not all specific Crematogaster species can re-colonize the crown region of adult trees, thus facilitating a change of ant species. Therefore lifespan of the ant colony as well as colony founding behaviour of the different partner ant species are important for these ontogenetic changes. The lifespan of a colony of two species can be prolonged via secondary polygyny. For the first time, also primary polygyny (pleometrosis) is reported from this myrmecophytic system.
format Article
author Hashim, Rosli
Feldhaar, H.
Fiala, B.
Maschwitz, U.
author_facet Hashim, Rosli
Feldhaar, H.
Fiala, B.
Maschwitz, U.
author_sort Hashim, Rosli
title Patterns of the crematogaster-macaranga association: the ant partner makes the difference
title_short Patterns of the crematogaster-macaranga association: the ant partner makes the difference
title_full Patterns of the crematogaster-macaranga association: the ant partner makes the difference
title_fullStr Patterns of the crematogaster-macaranga association: the ant partner makes the difference
title_full_unstemmed Patterns of the crematogaster-macaranga association: the ant partner makes the difference
title_sort patterns of the crematogaster-macaranga association: the ant partner makes the difference
publishDate 2003
url http://eprints.um.edu.my/8281/
http://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007%2Fs000400300002.pdf
_version_ 1643688266028810240
score 13.211869

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