Die Tropenstation La Gamba
Die Tropenstation La Gamba
Die Tropenstation La Gamba
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<strong>Die</strong> „<strong>Tropenstation</strong> <strong>La</strong> <strong>Gamba</strong>“ in Costa Rica – Wissenschaftlicher Bericht<br />
FISCHER, R. C., RICHTER, A., WANEK, W., MAYER, V. 2003. Do ants feed plants? A 15 N<br />
labelling study of nitrogen fluxes from ants to plants in the mutualism of Pheidole and<br />
Piper. Journal of Ecology 91, 126-134.<br />
(1) Nutrient fluxes play a significant role in the interaction of myrmecophytic plants and their<br />
symbiotic ants. There is a clear flux from plants to ants via nectar or food bodies but nutrient<br />
fluxes from ants to plants are less obvious.<br />
(2) We report on a nitrogen flux from ants to plants in the association between Pheidole bicornis<br />
(Formicidae-Myrmicinae) and two myrmecophytic Piper species (P. fimbriulatum and P.<br />
obliquum, Piperaceae). Pulse experiments were performed by feeding ants with 15 N-labelled<br />
glycine supplied in sucrose solution. Workers passed ingested label on to other ants and the brood<br />
by trophallaxis.<br />
(3) The distribution of label within the colony showed highest incorporation rates in larvae and in<br />
the working caste, while the reproductive caste received only a small amount of the 15 N-labelled<br />
food.<br />
(4) Nutrient transfer from ants to plants occurred remarkably fast. Within 6 days, up to 25% of the<br />
nitrogen ingested by the ants was incorporated by the plants.<br />
(5) However, ant distribution within P. fimbriulatum plants did not correlate with the intra-plant<br />
uptake pattern of 15 N and ant-mediated nitrogen uptake by myrmecophytic P. fimbriulatum<br />
accounted for less than 1% of the plants' above-ground nitrogen demand.<br />
Key words ant-plant interaction, myrmecophytism, nutrient provisioning, stable isotope,<br />
trophallaxis<br />
Anschrift der Autoren:<br />
Mag. Renate Fischer, a8907336@unet.univie.ac.at<br />
Univ. Ass. Mag. Dr. Wolfgang Wanek, wolfgang.wanek@univie.ac.at<br />
Univ. Prod. Dr. Andreas Richter, andreas .richter@univie.ac.at<br />
Univ. Wien, Inst. f. Ökologie und Naturschutz<br />
Althanstraße 3, A-1090 Wien<br />
Tel. ++43 4277-54204<br />
Fax ++42 4277-9542<br />
Univ. Ass. Dr. Veronika Mayer, veronika.mayer@univie.ac.at<br />
Univ. Wien, Inst. f. Botanik, Rennweg 14, A-1030 Wien<br />
Tel. ++43 4277-54083<br />
Fax ++42 4277-9541<br />
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