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2019:groups:g4:start [2018/12/18 21:27] – lemos2019:groups:g4:start [2024/01/09 18:45] (current) – external edit 127.0.0.1
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 **Group 4** **Group 4**
-====== Large herbivores and ants help each other ======+ 
 +<html><font size=6 face="Arial">Large herbivores and ants help each other</font></html> 
  
  
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 Recently, Li //et al.// (2018) described a non-intuitive reciprocal facilitation between ants and cattle. In a grassland in China, bovids (//Bos taurus//) are the predominant large vertebrate in the area, and ants from the genus //Lasius// are the predominant below ground invertebrate. Through experiments, the authors show that the presence of cattle increases the density of ant nests in the region. Reciprocally, they show that ants increase cattle food intake, by means of a behavioral response on foraging. In this system, it appears as the underlying mechanism of reciprocal facilitation involves habitat amelioration and resource enhancement. Recently, Li //et al.// (2018) described a non-intuitive reciprocal facilitation between ants and cattle. In a grassland in China, bovids (//Bos taurus//) are the predominant large vertebrate in the area, and ants from the genus //Lasius// are the predominant below ground invertebrate. Through experiments, the authors show that the presence of cattle increases the density of ant nests in the region. Reciprocally, they show that ants increase cattle food intake, by means of a behavioral response on foraging. In this system, it appears as the underlying mechanism of reciprocal facilitation involves habitat amelioration and resource enhancement.
  
 +{{ :2019:groups:g4:ants.jpg?300 | cartoon from [[www.theycantalk.com]] }}
  
 ===== Assignment =====  ===== Assignment ===== 
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 ===== Suggested questions ===== ===== Suggested questions =====
  
-  * Considering that facilitation is a facultative interaction that benefits involved species, can you think of a mechanisms that might prevent species from growing indefinitely in this system? +  * Based on your model, what changes would you expect in the dynamics of the system (in terms of species densities, community composition and coexistence) if the facilitation were not reciprocal? In other words, if the interaction is neutral for one of the species, does it affect populational patterns found in the model in which facilitation is reciprocal? From that, can you infer which species is most affected by the interaction?
- +
-  * The authors argue that the interaction is a facultative facilitation. In the absence of cattle, the effects provoked by ants (i.e., enhancement of soil nutrients increasing plant quantity and quality) could feedback negatively in its own species, altering the micro-habit that favors the construction of ant nests. How would you considerate this negative feedback and how does it influence final population densities and stability of the system?+
  
 +  * The authors argue that the interaction is a facultative facilitation. In the absence of cattle, the effects provoked by ants (i.e., enhancement of soil nutrients increasing plant quantity and quality) could feedback negatively on its own population, altering the micro-habit that favors the construction of ant nests. How could this feedback influence long-term population densities and stability of the system?
  
 ===== References ===== ===== References =====
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 **The Princeton Guide to Ecology** Levin, Simon A., et al., eds. //Princeton University Press// (2009) **The Princeton Guide to Ecology** Levin, Simon A., et al., eds. //Princeton University Press// (2009)
 +
 +**data from the paper** [[https://datadryad.org/resource/doi:10.5061/dryad.s7423sv]]
2019/groups/g4/start.1545168460.txt.gz · Last modified: 2024/01/09 18:45 (external edit)