A role for parasites in stabilising the fig-pollinator mutualism.

Mutualisms are interspecific interactions in which both players benefit. Explaining their maintenance is problematic, because cheaters should outcompete cooperative conspecifics, leading to mutualism instability. Monoecious figs (Ficus) are pollinated by host-specific wasps (Agaonidae), whose larvae...

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Autores principales:	Derek W Dunn, Simon T Segar, Jo Ridley, Ruth Chan, Ross H Crozier, Douglas W Yu, James M Cook
Formato:	article
Lenguaje:	EN
Publicado:	Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2008
Materias:	Biology (General) QH301-705.5
Acceso en línea:	https://doaj.org/article/3b715868ba0540c69319519069373f14
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spelling	oai:doaj.org-article:3b715868ba0540c69319519069373f142021-11-25T05:33:27ZA role for parasites in stabilising the fig-pollinator mutualism.1544-91731545-788510.1371/journal.pbio.0060059https://doaj.org/article/3b715868ba0540c69319519069373f142008-03-01T00:00:00Zhttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/pmid/18336072/?tool=EBIhttps://doaj.org/toc/1544-9173https://doaj.org/toc/1545-7885Mutualisms are interspecific interactions in which both players benefit. Explaining their maintenance is problematic, because cheaters should outcompete cooperative conspecifics, leading to mutualism instability. Monoecious figs (Ficus) are pollinated by host-specific wasps (Agaonidae), whose larvae gall ovules in their "fruits" (syconia). Female pollinating wasps oviposit directly into Ficus ovules from inside the receptive syconium. Across Ficus species, there is a widely documented segregation of pollinator galls in inner ovules and seeds in outer ovules. This pattern suggests that wasps avoid, or are prevented from ovipositing into, outer ovules, and this results in mutualism stability. However, the mechanisms preventing wasps from exploiting outer ovules remain unknown. We report that in Ficus rubiginosa, offspring in outer ovules are vulnerable to attack by parasitic wasps that oviposit from outside the syconium. Parasitism risk decreases towards the centre of the syconium, where inner ovules provide enemy-free space for pollinator offspring. We suggest that the resulting gradient in offspring viability is likely to contribute to selection on pollinators to avoid outer ovules, and by forcing wasps to focus on a subset of ovules, reduces their galling rates. This previously unidentified mechanism may therefore contribute to mutualism persistence independent of additional factors that invoke plant defences against pollinator oviposition, or physiological constraints on pollinators that prevent oviposition in all available ovules.Derek W DunnSimon T SegarJo RidleyRuth ChanRoss H CrozierDouglas W YuJames M CookPublic Library of Science (PLoS)articleBiology (General)QH301-705.5ENPLoS Biology, Vol 6, Iss 3, p e59 (2008)
institution	DOAJ
collection	DOAJ
language	EN
topic	Biology (General) QH301-705.5
spellingShingle	Biology (General) QH301-705.5 Derek W Dunn Simon T Segar Jo Ridley Ruth Chan Ross H Crozier Douglas W Yu James M Cook A role for parasites in stabilising the fig-pollinator mutualism.
description	Mutualisms are interspecific interactions in which both players benefit. Explaining their maintenance is problematic, because cheaters should outcompete cooperative conspecifics, leading to mutualism instability. Monoecious figs (Ficus) are pollinated by host-specific wasps (Agaonidae), whose larvae gall ovules in their "fruits" (syconia). Female pollinating wasps oviposit directly into Ficus ovules from inside the receptive syconium. Across Ficus species, there is a widely documented segregation of pollinator galls in inner ovules and seeds in outer ovules. This pattern suggests that wasps avoid, or are prevented from ovipositing into, outer ovules, and this results in mutualism stability. However, the mechanisms preventing wasps from exploiting outer ovules remain unknown. We report that in Ficus rubiginosa, offspring in outer ovules are vulnerable to attack by parasitic wasps that oviposit from outside the syconium. Parasitism risk decreases towards the centre of the syconium, where inner ovules provide enemy-free space for pollinator offspring. We suggest that the resulting gradient in offspring viability is likely to contribute to selection on pollinators to avoid outer ovules, and by forcing wasps to focus on a subset of ovules, reduces their galling rates. This previously unidentified mechanism may therefore contribute to mutualism persistence independent of additional factors that invoke plant defences against pollinator oviposition, or physiological constraints on pollinators that prevent oviposition in all available ovules.
format	article
author	Derek W Dunn Simon T Segar Jo Ridley Ruth Chan Ross H Crozier Douglas W Yu James M Cook
author_facet	Derek W Dunn Simon T Segar Jo Ridley Ruth Chan Ross H Crozier Douglas W Yu James M Cook
author_sort	Derek W Dunn
title	A role for parasites in stabilising the fig-pollinator mutualism.
title_short	A role for parasites in stabilising the fig-pollinator mutualism.
title_full	A role for parasites in stabilising the fig-pollinator mutualism.
title_fullStr	A role for parasites in stabilising the fig-pollinator mutualism.
title_full_unstemmed	A role for parasites in stabilising the fig-pollinator mutualism.
title_sort	role for parasites in stabilising the fig-pollinator mutualism.
publisher	Public Library of Science (PLoS)
publishDate	2008
url	https://doaj.org/article/3b715868ba0540c69319519069373f14
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A role for parasites in stabilising the fig-pollinator mutualism.

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