Nitrogen fixation by diverse diazotrophic communities can support population growth of arboreal ants
- Author(s)
- Maximilian Nepel, Josephine Pfeifer, Felix B. Oberhauser, Andreas Richter, Dagmar Woebken, Veronika E. Mayer
- Abstract
Symbiotic ant-plant associations, in which ants live on plants, feed on plant-provided food, and protect host trees against threats, are ubiquitous across the tropics, with the Azteca-Cecropia associations being amongst the most widespread interactions in the Neotropics. Upon colonization of Cecropia’s hollow internodes, Azteca queens form small patches with plant parenchyma, which are then used as waste piles when the colony grows. Patches—found in many ant-plant mutualisms—are present throughout the colony life cycle and may supplement larval food. Despite their initial nitrogen (N)-poor substrate, patches in Cecropia accommodate fungi, nematodes, and bacteria. In this study, we investigated the atmospheric N2 fixation as an N source in patches of early and established ant colonies.
- Organisation(s)
- Department of Botany and Biodiversity Research, Department of Microbiology and Ecosystem Science
- External organisation(s)
- Universität Konstanz
- Journal
- BMC Biology
- Volume
- 20
- No. of pages
- 13
- ISSN
- 1741-7007
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1186/s12915-022-01289-0
- Publication date
- 06-2022
- Peer reviewed
- Yes
- Austrian Fields of Science 2012
- 106008 Botany, 106026 Ecosystem research, 106042 Systematic botany
- Keywords
- ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Agricultural and Biological Sciences(all), Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics, Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology(all), Structural Biology, Physiology, Biotechnology, Plant Science, Cell Biology, Developmental Biology
- Portal url
- https://ucris.univie.ac.at/portal/en/publications/nitrogen-fixation-by-diverse-diazotrophic-communities-can-support-population-growth-of-arboreal-ants(23e3a3d2-84ee-4e97-af3b-8ec9b87242f0).html