Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Ecoscience
Résumé : International audience
Hymenoptera pollinators and figs (ripe or unripe) of Ficus vallis-choudae are protected from the predatory activity of myrmicine ants (Atopomyrmex mocquerisi; Crematogaster clariventris; Cremato gaster sp.) by other ants (Camponotus acvapimensis and Camponotus brutus; Formicinae) who attack neither unripe figs nor the pollinator. On trees occupied by Atopomyrmex and Crematogaster, and on trees invaded by columns of workers after recruitment by scouts, the predatory activity begins when the fig wasps emerge. Then, the ants attack unripe figs (asynchronization in ripeness), destroying whole figs of certain trees. The male function of the trees through pollen dispersal by fig wasps is, therefore, severely reduced, while the female function (seed dispersal) is affected only on unripe figs before fig wasp emergence. We recorded 13 ant species on the 73 Ficus vallis-choudae of the Batchenga savanna (Cameroon) studied, but only the five previously cited species were able to occupy an entire fig tree. The three Myrmicinae which have a status of dominant (large colony size; strong territoriality vis-à-vis other dominant species; can tolerate non-dominant species) tended scale insects. Both Camponotus species (and the eight other ant species) are non-dominant (small colony size), but are able to occupy a whole tree under certain conditions (here, when they tend the tettigometrid Hilda undata) and to be territorial. Their status corresponds, therefore, to that of sub-dominant. Tests of aggressiveness showed that each ant species is aggressive towards alien conspecifics. C. brutus individuals were tolerated on fig trees occupied by Atopomyrmex mocquerisi or by Crematogaster clariventris, while workers of both latter species, who do not tolerate one another, were not tolerated on fig trees occupied by C. brutus. In this situation, the cost-benefit for the trees depends on the ant species that occupies their foliage; C. brutus, when tending tettigometrids, is advantageous. There is, therefore, an indirect influence of the tettigometrids on the production of fig pollinating wasps and seeds. Chez Ficus vallis-choudae, les figues, matures ou non, et leurs hyménoptères pollinisateurs sont protégés de l'activité prédatice de la part de trois espèces de fourmis Myrmicinae (Atopomyrmex mocquerisi; Crematogaster clariventris; Crematogaster sp.) par d'autres fourmis (Camponotus acvapimensis et Camponotus brutus; Formicinae) qui, elles, ne s'attaquent ni aux figues non matures, ni aux pollinisateurs. L'action prédatrice des Atopomyrmex et des Crematogaster débute à l'émergence des pollinisateurs et sétend sur des figuiers qu'elles n'occupent pas grâce à la formation de colonnes recrutées par des ouvrières éclaireuses. Ensuite, elles attaquent les figues moins mûres (asynchronie dans la maturation), toutes les figues d'un arbre pouvant être détruites. La fonction mâle de l'arbre est donc sévèrement réduite via la prédation des pollinisateurs. La fonction femelle est moins affectée, les figues, au moment de l'émergence des pollinisateurs ayant des graines matures. Nous avons recensé 13 espèces de fourmis sur les 73 Ficus vallis-choudae étudiés dans la savane de Batchenga (Cameroun), mais uniquement les cinq espèces citées ci-haut peuvent occuper un figuier entier. Les trois Myrmicinae sont des « dominantes » (grosses colonies; forte territorialité contre les autres dominantes; peuvent tolérer des « non-dominantes » ) qui exploitent des cochenilles. Les deux Camponotus (ainsi que les huit autres espèces) appartiennent au lot des « non-dominantes » (petites colonies), mais dans certaines situations (ici, lorsqu'elles exploitent le Tettigometridae Hilda undata) elles peuvent aussi occuper un arbre entier et en défendre l'accès. On les qualifie alors de « sub-dominantes » . Des tests d'agressivité ont permis de montrer que chaque espèce est agressive vis-à-vis d'ouvrières étrangères conspécifiques, que les ouvrières de Camponotus brutus sont tolérées sur les figuiers occupés par Atopomyr ex mocquerisi ou par Crematogaster clariventris, alors que les ouvrières de ces deux espèces, qui ne se tolèrent pas entre elles, ne sont pas tolérées sur les figuiers occupés par Camponotus brutus. Dans ces conditions, le rapport coût/bénéfice pour l'arbre dépend de l'espèce de fourmi qui l'occupe, Camponotus brutus étant l'espèce avantageuse, grâce à l'exploitation des tettigomètres. En conséquence, il y a une influence indirecte du tettitogomètre sur la production d'insectes pollinasiteurs et de graines.
ISSN: 1195-6860

hal-01214443
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01214443
DOI : 10.2307/42902390

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Oxford University Press (OUP)
Résumé : International audience
Background and AimsEpiphytism imposes physiological constraints resulting from the lack of access to the nutrient sources available to ground-rooted plants. A conspicuous adaptation in response to that lack is the phytotelm (plant-held waters) of tank-bromeliad species that are often nutrient-rich. Associations with terrestrial invertebrates also result in higher plant nutrient acquisition. Assuming that tank-bromeliads rely on reservoir-assisted nutrition, it was hypothesized that the dual association with mutualistic ants and the phytotelm food web provides greater nutritional benefits to the plant compared with those bromeliads involved in only one of these two associations.MethodsQuantitative (water volume, amount of fine particulate organic matter, predator/prey ratio, algal density) and qualitative variables (ant-association and photosynthetic pathways) were compared for eight tank- and one tankless-bromeliad morphospecies from French Guiana. An analysis was also made of which of these variables affect nitrogen acquisition (leaf N and δ(15)N).Key ResultsAll variables were significantly different between tank-bromeliad species. Leaf N concentrations and leaf δ(15)N were both positively correlated with the presence of mutualistic ants. The amount of fine particulate organic matter and predator/prey ratio had a positive and negative effect on leaf δ(15)N, respectively. Water volume was positively correlated with leaf N concentration whereas algal density was negatively correlated. Finally, the photosynthetic pathway (C3 vs. CAM) was positively correlated with leaf N concentration with a slightly higher N concentration for C3-Tillandsioideae compared with CAM-Bromelioideae.ConclusionsThe study suggests that some of the differences in N nutrition between bromeliad species can be explained by the presence of mutualistic ants. From a nutritional standpoint, it is more advantageous for a bromeliad to use myrmecotrophy via its roots than to use carnivory via its tank. The results highlight a gap in our knowledge of the reciprocal interactions between bromeliads and the various trophic levels (from bacteria to large metazoan predators) that intervene in reservoir-assisted nutrition.
ISSN: 0305-7364

hal-00849045
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00849045
DOI : 10.1093/aob/mct147
PUBMED : 23864002