Response of Ants to the Leafhopper Dalbulus quinquenotatus DeLong & Nault (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) and Extrafloral Nectaries Following Fire
<p>Previous investigations of mutualistic associations between ants and plants bearing extrafloral nectaries (EFNs) or between ants and trophobiont leafhoppers have studied these relationships separately, but nothing is known on how ant abundance responds to these two food resources occurring...
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| Auteurs principaux: | , |
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| Format: | article |
| Langue: | EN |
| Publié: |
Universidade Estadual de Feira de Santana
2014
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| Accès en ligne: | https://doaj.org/article/103a0e8aaf7341c389739bc4569f9f3a |
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| Résumé: | <p>Previous investigations of mutualistic associations between ants and plants bearing extrafloral nectaries (EFNs) or between ants and trophobiont leafhoppers have studied these relationships separately, but nothing is known on how ant abundance responds to these two food resources occurring in the same habitat when that habitat is disturbed by fire. The objectives of this study are to document ant abundance with the trophobiont five-spotted gamagrass leafhopper, <em>Dalbulus quinquenotatus</em> DeLong & Nault, and with EFNs on trees of <em>Acacia pennatula</em> (Schlecht & Cham.) Benth. (Fabaceae) that occur in the same habitat, and how ant abundance in both of these mutualisms is affected after disturbance by fire. This study was performed at several sites in central Mexico where the perennial gamagrass <em>Tripsacum dactyloides</em> L. (Gramminae) and <em>A. pennatula</em> both occur. More ants were collected in association with the leafhopper <em>D. quinquenotatus</em> than with EFNs of <em>A. pennatula</em>. At sites where dry season fire occurred, new green leaves were produced by both <em>T. dactyloides</em> and <em>A. pennatula</em> after the burn. On these new leaves after fire, significantly more ants tended<em> D. quinquenotatus</em> leafhoppers on<em> T. dactyloides</em> than visited EFNs on <em>A. pennatula</em>. In burned sites the ants <em>Anoplolepis gracilipes</em> Smith, <em>Brachymyrmex obscurior</em> Forel and <em>Pheidole</em> sp. live in association with the leafhoppers, whereas EFNs on <em>A. pennatula</em> were associated with the ants<em> A. gracilipes</em>, <em>B. obscurior</em>, <em>Camponotus</em> sp., <em>Crematogaster</em> sp. and <em>Solenopsis</em> sp.</p> |
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