Ants Defend Their Other Plants Tree ( "Pseudomyrmex triplarinus" )

'Pseudomyrmex triplarinus' inhabit the American Triplaris tree.

Survival in the depths of the rainforest not only depends on the ability of species to defend themselves. You can also rely on a particular type of cooperation between animals and plants. In Peru, a species of ants use chemical signals on their host tree to distinguish it from competing plant species.

Once a competing plant is recognized the ants to defend his anfitrión.Las pruned tree plants where ant lives Pseudomyrmex triplarinus grow in the Peruvian rainforest. As published in the journal Biotropica , researchers at Colorado State University (USA) have shown how they have evolved in relation to the tree simbiótoca American Triplaris, receiving shelter and sustenance in return for defense.

"Ants live in the grooves of the tree and fight fiercely with any invaders, including other plants, but had not yet been well studied how are you its host ants differ from other plants," explains the head of the investigation, Tiffany Weir. "We found that ants distinguish between their host trees and invasive species through recognition of surface resin plant," he adds.

In the Tambopata National Reserve, Weir and Dr. Jorge Vivanco expert used an ingenious set of experiments to test how ants living in the branches of T. americana recognize specific chemical signals from this strain from the surface of the leaves.

Collected several types of herbs and ferns and replanted a few trees around villages T. American ants. The team recorded after the pruning and feeding behavior of the animals for five weeks. The leaves of trees are also other varieties, they stuck. Daily records revealed that most of the leaves were not a T. americana were cut and removed by the ants.

Even with artificial materials, ants followed the same pattern. They placed a filter paper impregnated resins T. americana and a close relative, the poeppigiana Triplaris. For insects attacked much more aggressive role that seemed to come from a poeppigiana T.. This shows you high degree of specialization of the chemical signal and the ability to differentiate Ant.

Sumber : Planetatierra