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Dejean, A.; Corbara, B.; Leroy, C.; Delabie, J.H.C.; Rossi, V.; Cereghino, R. |
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Title |
Inherited Biotic Protection in a Neotropical Pioneer Plant |
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Journal Article |
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2011 |
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PLoS One |
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PLoS One |
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6 |
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3 |
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e18071 |
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Chelonanthus alatus is a bat-pollinated, pioneer Gentianaceae that clusters in patches where still-standing, dried-out stems are interspersed among live individuals. Flowers bear circum-floral nectaries (CFNs) that are attractive to ants, and seed dispersal is both barochorous and anemochorous. Although, in this study, live individuals never sheltered ant colonies, dried-out hollow stems – that can remain standing for 2 years – did. Workers from species nesting in dried-out stems as well as from ground-nesting species exploited the CFNs of live C. alatus individuals in the same patches during the daytime, but were absent at night (when bat pollination occurs) on 60.5% of the plants. By visiting the CFNs, the ants indirectly protect the flowers – but not the plant foliage – from herbivorous insects. We show that this protection is provided mostly by species nesting in dried-out stems, predominantly Pseudomyrmex gracilis. That dried-out stems remain standing for years and are regularly replaced results in an opportunistic, but stable association where colonies are sheltered by one generation of dead C. alatus while the live individuals nearby, belonging to the next generation, provide them with nectar; in turn, the ants protect their flowers from herbivores. We suggest that the investment in wood by C. alatus individuals permitting still-standing, dried-out stems to shelter ant colonies constitutes an extended phenotype because foraging workers protect the flowers of live individuals in the same patch. Also, through this process these dried-out stems indirectly favor the reproduction (and so the fitness) of the next generation including both their own offspring and that of their siblings, all adding up to a potential case of inclusive fitness in plants. |
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[Dejean, Alain; Leroy, Celine] CNRS, Ecol Forets Guyane UMR CNRS 8172, Kourou, France, Email: alain.dejean@wanadoo.fr |
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1932-6203 |
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ISI:000289057200023 |
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EcoFoG @ webmaster @ |
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306 |
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Dejean, A.; Corbara, B.; Céréghino, R.; Leponce, M.; Roux, O.; Rossi, V.; Delabie, J.H.C.; Compin, A. |
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Title |
Traits allowing some ant species to nest syntopically with the fire ant Solenopsis saevissima in its native range |
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Journal Article |
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Year |
2015 |
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Insect Science |
Abbreviated Journal |
Insect Science |
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22 |
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2 |
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289-294 |
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Ant community; Fire ants; Invasive species; Solenopsis saevissima; Species coexistence; Supercoloniality |
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Supercolonies of the red fire ant Solenopsis saevissima (Smith) develop in disturbed environments and likely alter the ant community in the native range of the species. For example, in French Guiana only 8 ant species were repeatedly noted as nesting in close vicinity to its mounds. Here, we verified if a shared set of biological, ecological, and behavioral traits might explain how these 8 species are able to nest in the presence of S. saevissima. We did not find this to be the case. We did find, however, that all of them are able to live in disturbed habitats. It is likely that over the course of evolution each of these species acquired the capacity to live syntopically with S. saevissima through its own set of traits, where colony size (4 species develop large colonies), cuticular compounds which do not trigger aggressiveness (6 species) and submissive behaviors (4 species) complement each other. © 2013 Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences. |
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U.P.A. Laboratório de Mirmecologia, Convênio UESC/CEPLAC, C.P. 7Itabuna, Bahia, Brazil |
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Export Date: 9 April 2015 |
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EcoFoG @ webmaster @ |
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594 |
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Dejean, A.; Corbara, B.; Azémar, F.; Carpenter, J.M. |
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Title |
When attempts at robbing prey turn fatal |
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Journal Article |
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2012 |
Publication |
Naturwissenschaften |
Abbreviated Journal |
Naturwissenschaften |
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99 |
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7 |
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579-582 |
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Ant predation; Azteca andreae; Cleptobiosis; Flies and dung beetles; Myrmecophyte; Reduviidae; Socialwasps; Stinglessbees |
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Because group-hunting arboreal ants spread-eagle insect prey for a long time before retrieving them, these prey can be coveted by predatory flying insects. Yet, attempting to rob these prey is risky if the ant species is also an effective predator. Here, we show that trying to rob prey from Azteca andreae workers is a fatal error as 268 out of 276 potential cleptobionts (97.1 %) were captured in turn. The ant workers hunt in a group and use the “Velcro®” principle to cling firmly to the leaves of their host tree, permitting them to capture very large prey. Exceptions were one social wasp, plus some Trigona spp. workers and flies that landed directly on the prey and were able to take off immediately when attacked. We conclude that in this situation, previously captured prey attract potential cleptobionts that are captured in turn in most of the cases. © Springer-Verlag 2012. |
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Division of Invertebrate Zoology, American Museum of Natural History, Central Park West at 79th Street, New York, NY 10024, United States |
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00281042 (Issn) |
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Export Date: 30 July 2012; Source: Scopus; Coden: Natwa; doi: 10.1007/s00114-012-0929-x; Language of Original Document: English; Correspondence Address: Dejean, A.; CNRS, Écologie des Forêts de Guyane (UMR-CNRS 8172), Campus agronomique, BP 316, 97379 Kourou cedex, France; email: alain.dejean@wanadoo.fr |
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EcoFoG @ webmaster @ |
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417 |
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Dejean, A.; Corbara, B. |
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Title |
Reactions by army ant workers to nestmates having had contact with sympatric ant species |
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Journal Article |
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Year |
2014 |
Publication |
Comptes Rendus Biologies |
Abbreviated Journal |
C. R. Biol. |
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337 |
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11 |
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642-645 |
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Army ants Antipredation Colony-mate recognition Eciton Transferring cuticular compounds; Eciton; Formicidae |
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It was recently shown that Pheidole megacephala colonies (an invasive species originating from Africa) counterattack when raided by the army ant, Eciton burchellii. The subsequent contact permits Pheidole cuticular compounds (that constitute the “colony odour”) to be transferred onto the raiding Eciton, which are then not recognised by their colony-mates and killed. Using a simple method for transferring cuticular compounds, we tested if this phenomenon occurs for Neotropical ants. Eciton workers rubbed with ants from four sympatric species were released among their colony-mates. Individuals rubbed with Solenopsis saevissima or Camponotus blandus workers were attacked, but not those rubbed with Atta sexdens, Pheidole fallax or with colony-mates (control lot). So, the chemicals of certain sympatric ant species, but not others, trigger intra-colonial aggressiveness in Eciton. We conclude that prey-ant chemicals might have played a role in the evolution of army ant predatory behaviour, likely influencing prey specialization in certain cases. |
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Clermont Université, Université Blaise-Pascal, LMGE, BP 10448Clermont-Ferrand, France |
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Elsevier Masson SAS |
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16310691 (Issn) |
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Export Date: 12 November 2014; Coden: Crboc; Correspondence Address: Dejean, A.; CNRS, É Cologie des Forêts de Guyane, UMR-CNRS 8172, BP 316, France |
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EcoFoG @ webmaster @ |
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566 |
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Dejean, A.; Compin, A.; Leponce, M.; Azémar, F.; Bonhomme, C.; Talaga, S.; Pelozuelo, L.; Hénaut, Y.; Corbara, B. |
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Ants impact the composition of the aquatic macroinvertebrate communities of a myrmecophytic tank bromeliad |
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Journal Article |
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2018 |
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Comptes Rendus Biologies |
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341 |
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3 |
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200-207 |
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Aquatic macroinvertebrates; Ant-plant relationships; Diversity; Food webs; Tank bromeliads; Macro-invertébrés aquatiques; Relations plantes-fourmis; Diversité; Réseaux trophiques; Broméliacées à réservoirs |
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In an inundated Mexican forest, 89 out of 92 myrmecophytic tank bromeliads (Aechmea bracteata) housed an associated ant colony: 13 sheltered Azteca serica, 43 Dolichoderus bispinosus, and 33 Neoponera villosa. Ant presence has a positive impact on the diversity of the aquatic macroinvertebrate communities (n=30 bromeliads studied). A Principal Component Analysis (PCA) showed that the presence and the species of ant are not correlated to bromeliad size, quantity of water, number of wells, filtered organic matter or incident radiation. The PCA and a generalized linear model showed that the presence of Azteca serica differed from the presence of the other two ant species or no ants in its effects on the aquatic invertebrate community (more predators). Therefore, both ant presence and species of ant affect the composition of the aquatic macroinvertebrate communities in the tanks of A. bracteata, likely due to ant deposition of feces and other waste in these tanks. Résumé Dans une forêt inondable du Mexique, sur 92 individus de la broméliacée myrmécophyte Aechmea bracteata, seuls trois étaient dépourvus d’une colonie de fourmis, 13 abritaient Azteca serica, 43 Dolichoderus bispinosus et 33 Neoponera villosa. La présence des fourmis favorise la diversité au sein des communautés aquatiques de macro-invertébrés (30 broméliacées étudiées, index de Shannon, profils de diversité). Une analyse en composantes principales (ACP) montre que la présence de fourmis n’est pas corrélée avec la taille de la plante, la quantité d’eau, le nombre de puits, la quantité de matière organique et la radiation incidente. L’ACP et un modèle mixte généralisé montrent un impact d’Azteca serica (comparé aux autres cas) attribuable à une plus grande quantité de prédateurs (effet top–down). La présence et l’identité des fourmis jouent un rôle sur la composition des communautés de macro-invertébrés aquatiques à travers des interactions directes, les ouvrières évacuant fèces et déchets dans les réservoirs. |
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EcoFoG @ webmaster @ |
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821 |
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Dejean, A.; Compin, A.; Delabie, J.H.C.; Azémar, F.; Corbara, B.; Leponce, M. |
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Biotic and abiotic determinants of the formation of ant mosaics in primary Neotropical rainforests |
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Journal Article |
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2019 |
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Ecological Entomology |
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Ecol Entomol |
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44 |
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4 |
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560-570 |
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Ant mosaics; connections on the ground; host tree attractiveness; indicators of disturbance; primary Neotropical rainforest; territoriality |
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1. Ants are widespread in tropical rainforests, including in the canopy where territorially dominant arboreal species represent the main part of the arthropod biomass.
2. By mapping the territories of dominant arboreal ant species and using a null model analysis and a pairwise approach this study was able to show the presence of an ant mosaic on the upper canopy of a primary Neotropical rainforest (c. 1ha sampled; 157 tall trees from 28 families). Although Neotropical rainforest canopies are frequently irregular, with tree crowns at different heights breaking the continuity of the territories of dominant ants, the latter are preserved via underground galleries or trails laid on the ground.
3. The distribution of the trees influences the structure of the ant mosaic, something related to the attractiveness of tree taxa for certain arboreal ant species rather than others.
4. Small-scale natural disturbances, most likely strong winds in the area studied (presence of canopy gaps), play a role by favouring the presence of two ant species typical of secondary formations: Camponotus femoratus and Crematogaster levior, which live in parabiosis (i.e. share territories and nests but lodge in different cavities) and build conspicuous ant gardens. In addition, pioneer Cecropia myrmecophytic trees were recorded. |
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John Wiley & Sons, Ltd (10.1111) |
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0307-6946 |
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doi: 10.1111/een.12735 |
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EcoFoG @ webmaster @ |
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882 |
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Dejean, A.; Cereghino, R.; Carpenter, J.M.; Corbara, B.; Herault, B.; Rossi, V.; Leponce, M.; Orivel, J.; Bonal, D. |
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Climate change impact on neotropical social wasps |
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2011 |
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PLoS One |
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PLoS ONE |
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6 |
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11 |
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e27004 |
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Establishing a direct link between climate change and fluctuations in animal populations through long-term monitoring is difficult given the paucity of baseline data. We hypothesized that social wasps are sensitive to climatic variations, and thus studied the impact of ENSO events on social wasp populations in French Guiana. We noted that during the 2000 La Niña year there was a 77.1% decrease in their nest abundance along ca. 5 km of forest edges, and that 70.5% of the species were no longer present. Two simultaneous 13-year surveys (1997-2009) confirmed the decrease in social wasps during La Niña years (2000 and 2006), while an increase occurred during the 2009 El Niño year. A 30-year weather survey showed that these phenomena corresponded to particularly high levels of rainfall, and that temperature, humidity and global solar radiation were correlated with rainfall. Using the Self-Organizing Map algorithm, we show that heavy rainfall during an entire rainy season has a negative impact on social wasps. Strong contrasts in rainfall between the dry season and the short rainy season exacerbate this effect. Social wasp populations never recovered to their pre-2000 levels. This is probably because these conditions occurred over four years; heavy rainfall during the major rainy seasons during four other years also had a detrimental effect. On the contrary, low levels of rainfall during the major rainy season in 2009 spurred an increase in social wasp populations. We conclude that recent climatic changes have likely resulted in fewer social wasp colonies because they have lowered the wasps' resistance to parasitoids and pathogens. These results imply that Neotropical social wasps can be regarded as bio-indicators because they highlight the impact of climatic changes not yet perceptible in plants and other animals. © 2011 Dejean et al. |
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INRA – Nancy, UMR EEF, Champenou, Nancy, France |
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19326203 (Issn) |
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Export Date: 29 November 2011; Source: Scopus; Art. No.: e27004; doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0027004; Language of Original Document: English; Correspondence Address: Dejean, A.; CNRS – UMR 8172, Écologie des Forêts de Guyane (Ecofog), Campus Agronomique, BP 709, Kourou, France; email: alain.dejean@wanadoo.fr |
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EcoFoG @ webmaster @ |
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372 |
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Dejean, A.; Céréghino, R.; Leponce, M.; Rossi, V.; Roux, O.; Compin, A.; Delabie, J.H.C.; Corbara, B. |
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The fire ant Solenopsis saevissima and habitat disturbance alter ant communities |
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Journal Article |
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2015 |
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Biological Conservation |
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Biological Conservation |
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187 |
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145-153 |
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Ant community; Fire ants; Invasive species; Species coexistence; Supercoloniality |
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The fire ant Solenopsis saevissima is a major pest frequent in human-disturbed areas of its native range where it forms 'supercolonies'. We determined that its natural habitat in French Guiana is likely the sporadically flooded riparian forest and aimed to evaluate this ant's impact on the abundance and diversity of other ants by comparing different habitats at two sites. We noted a significant decrease in ant species richness between the rainforest and human-disturbed habitats (but not between the former and the naturally disturbed riparian forest), and between extreme habitats and all others. The number of ant nests per surface unit (i.e., quadrats of equal surface area), a proxy of ant abundance, globally followed this pattern. S. saevissima was absent from pristine rainforest (as expected) and from extreme habitats, showing the limits of its adaptability, whereas some other native ants can develop in these habitats. Ant species richness was significantly lower in the presence of S. saevissima in the riparian forest, forest edges and meadows, illustrating that this ant species has a negative impact on the ant communities in addition to the impact of natural- and man-made disturbances. Only some ant species can develop in its presence, and certain of these can even thrive. Because it has been recorded in Africa, Guadeloupe and the Galápagos Islands, we concluded that, due to the increasing volume of global trade and forest destruction, S. saevissima could become a pantropical invasive species. © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. |
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Université Clermont Auvergne, Université Blaise Pascal (LMGE), Clermont-Ferrand, France |
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Export Date: 11 June 2015 |
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EcoFoG @ webmaster @ |
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605 |
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Dejean, A.; Carpenter, J.M.; Gibernau, M.; Leponce, M.; Corbara, B. |
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Nest relocation and high mortality rate in a Neotropical social wasp: Impact of an exceptionally rainy La Nina year |
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2010 |
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Comptes Rendus Biologies |
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C. R. Biol. |
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333 |
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1 |
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35-40 |
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Vespidae; Population size variation; Microevolution; La Nina; French Guiana |
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After noting the forecast of a La Nina episode, associated with heavy rainfall in French Guiana, we monitored the fate of wasp nests before and during the 2006 short rainy season. The population of the most abundant epiponine wasp species, Polybia bistriata, decreased dramatically during the short rainy season (60.6% of the nests disappeared) then remained low for at least 18 months. Colonies that survived moved from the shelter of large, low leaves (a situation well adapted to the previous dry season) of the most frequent substrate tree, Clusia grandiflora (Clusiaceae), to upper leaves, better ventilated and whose orientation provides good protection from the rain. Therefore, the possibility of moving the nest higher during the first rains following the dry season seems very adaptive as colonies that do not do so are eliminated during the La Nina years, whose frequency will increase with global climate change. (C) 2009 Academie des sciences. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved. |
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[Dejean, Alain; Gibernau, Marc] CNRS, UMR Ecofog 8172, F-97387 Kourou, France, Email: alain.dejean@wanadoo.fr |
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ELSEVIER FRANCE-EDITIONS SCIENTIFIQUES MEDICALES ELSEVIER |
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ISI:000275984200006 |
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EcoFoG @ eric.marcon @ |
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64 |
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Dejean, A.; Carpenter, J.M.; Corbara, B.; Wright, P.; Roux, O.; LaPierre, L.M. |
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The hunter becomes the hunted: When cleptobiotic insects are captured by their target ants |
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2012 |
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Naturwissenschaften |
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99 |
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4 |
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265-273 |
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Ant predation; Cleptobiosis; Flies and Reduviidae; Myrmecophyte; Social wasps; Stingless bees |
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Abstract |
Here we show that trying to rob prey (cleptobiosis) from a highly specialized predatory ant species is risky. To capture prey, Allomerus decemarticulatus workers build gallery-shaped traps on the stems of their associated myrmecophyte, Hirtella physophora. We wondered whether the frequent presence of immobilized prey on the trap attracted flying cleptoparasites. Nine social wasp species nest in the H. physophora foliage; of the six species studied, only Angiopolybia pallens rob prey from Allomerus colonies. For those H. physophora not sheltering wasps, we noted cleptobiosis by stingless bees (Trigona), social wasps (A. pallens and five Agelaia species), assassin bugs (Reduviidae), and flies. A relationship between the size of the robbers and their rate of capture by ambushing Allomerus workers was established for social wasps; small wasps were easily captured, while the largest never were. Reduviids, which are slow to extract their rostrum from prey, were always captured, while Trigona and flies often escaped. The balance sheet for the ants was positive vis-à-vis the reduviids and four out of the six social wasp species. For the latter, wasps began by cutting up parts of the prey's abdomen and were captured (or abandoned the prey) before the entire abdomen was retrieved so that the total weight of the captured wasps exceeded that of the prey abdomens. For A. pallens, we show that the number of individuals captured during attempts at cleptobiosis increases with the size of the Allomerus' prey. © Springer-Verlag 2012. |
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Department of Biology, Lower Columbia College, 1600 Maple St., Longview, WA 98632, United States |
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Cited By (since 1996): 1; Export Date: 16 January 2013; Source: Scopus |
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EcoFoG @ webmaster @ |
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458 |
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