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2020:groups:g8:start [2020/01/07 21:01] prado2020:groups:g8:start [2024/01/09 18:45] (current) – external edit 127.0.0.1
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 The two strategies are: The two strategies are:
  
-i) The typical strategy of foraging on leaves, actively searching for herbivores.+i) The typical strategy of foraging on leaves, stems and trunk, actively searching for herbivores.
  
 {{:2020:groups:g8:trap.png?nolink&300 |}} {{:2020:groups:g8:trap.png?nolink&300 |}}
  
-ii)The innovative strategy of using galleries for prey capture: the ants cut plant 'hairs' (trychomes) and bind them with a fungi that they grow to build galleries over the plant bark (Dejean et al 2005). The hollow porous tubes are filled with ants ready to ambush. Unsuspecting insects land on the trap and quickly become overwhelmed by the voracious invertebrates. Also the fungus used to build the galleries improves nutrient uptake by the host plant.+ii) The innovative strategy of using galleries for prey capture: the ants cut plant 'hairs' (trychomes) and bind them with a fungi that they grow to build galleries over the plant bark (Dejean et al 2005). The hollow porous tubes are filled with ants ready to ambush. Unsuspecting insects land on the trap and quickly become overwhelmed by the voracious invertebrates. Also the fungus used to build the galleries improves nutrient uptake by the host plant.
  
 However, because of a limited worker force in their colonies, the prey capture behaviour of the ants results in a trade-off between the strategies of patrolling the foliage and ambushing prey in the galleries, which has a cascading effect on the fitness of all of the partners. The quantification of partners' traits and effects showed that the two ant species differed in their mutualistic investment ratios.  However, because of a limited worker force in their colonies, the prey capture behaviour of the ants results in a trade-off between the strategies of patrolling the foliage and ambushing prey in the galleries, which has a cascading effect on the fitness of all of the partners. The quantification of partners' traits and effects showed that the two ant species differed in their mutualistic investment ratios. 
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 ===== Assignment ===== ===== Assignment =====
  
-Propose a mathematical model to investigate mutualistic investment, its potential trade-offs and their consequences for the longevity of ant species coexistence in this tripartite interaction involving a myrmecophyte (plant), two ant species which compete to occupy its domatia and a fungus they cultivate. +Propose a mathematical model to investigate mutualistic investment, its potential trade-offs and their consequences for the persistence of ant species coexistence in this tripartite interaction involving a myrmecophyte (plant), two ant species which compete to occupy its domatia and a fungus that ants cultivate. 
  
  
-===== Questions & Suggestions =====+===== Suggested questions =====
  
-  - A possible consequence of competing strategies is exclusion of the worse strategy. Although the better ant mutualism is the one that provides more benefits to its host plant, its lower host–plant exploitation does not give this ant species a competitive advantage. Can your model support local coexistence of the two ant species? Under what circumstances does your model lead to the exclusion of either one of the species+  - Is the coexistence of the two ant species possible 
-  - Is there optimal proportion of the two strategies in the worker force? (A proportion that leads to the greatest ant population, or leads to the greatest growth rates...) +  - Will the scenario proposed by Orivel //et al.// lead to competitive exclusion, as proposed by the authors 
-  Can your model help elucidate the situation described in the recent article of Orival //et al.//?+  - Is there an optimal proportion of the two strategies in the worker force? (A proportion that leads to the greatest ant population, or leads to the greatest growth rates...) 
 + 
 +Further well-grounded questions from the group are welcome.
  
 ===== References ===== ===== References =====
  
-Orivel Jérôme, Malé Pierre-Jean, Lauth Jérémie, Roux Olivier, Petitclerc Frédéric, Dejean Alain and Leroy Céline. **Trade-offs in an ant–plant–fungus mutualism** 284 Proc. R. Soc. B. 2019.[[http://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2016.1679]].+Jérôme Orivel, Pierre-Jean Malé, Jérémie Lauth, Olivier Roux, Frédéric Petitclerc, Alain Dejean and Céline Leroy. **Trade-offs in an ant–plant–fungus mutualism** 284 Proc. R. Soc. B. 2019.[[http://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2016.1679]].
  
 Leroy, C., Séjalon‐Delmas, N., Jauneau, A., Ruiz‐González, M.‐X., Gryta, H., Jargeat, P., Corbara, B., Dejean, A. and Orivel, J. **Trophic mediation by a fungus in an ant–plant mutualism.** Journal of Ecology, 99: 583-590. 2011. [[https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2745.2010.01763.x]]. Leroy, C., Séjalon‐Delmas, N., Jauneau, A., Ruiz‐González, M.‐X., Gryta, H., Jargeat, P., Corbara, B., Dejean, A. and Orivel, J. **Trophic mediation by a fungus in an ant–plant mutualism.** Journal of Ecology, 99: 583-590. 2011. [[https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2745.2010.01763.x]].
  
 Dejean, Alain; Solano, Pascal J., Ayroles, Julien; Corbara, Bruno and Orivel, Jérôme  Arboreal. **Ants build traps to capture prey**. Nature volume 434, pg. 973 (2005). [[https://www.nature.com/articles/434973a]]. Dejean, Alain; Solano, Pascal J., Ayroles, Julien; Corbara, Bruno and Orivel, Jérôme  Arboreal. **Ants build traps to capture prey**. Nature volume 434, pg. 973 (2005). [[https://www.nature.com/articles/434973a]].
2020/groups/g8/start.1578430896.txt.gz · Last modified: 2024/01/09 18:45 (external edit)