Breakdown of an ant-plant mutualism follows the loss of large herbivores from an African savanna.
نویسندگان
چکیده
Mutualisms are key components of biodiversity and ecosystem function, yet the forces maintaining them are poorly understood. We investigated the effects of removing large mammals on an ant-Acacia mutualism in an African savanna. Ten years of large-herbivore exclusion reduced the nectar and housing provided by plants to ants, increasing antagonistic behavior by a mutualistic ant associate and shifting competitive dominance within the plant-ant community from this nectar-dependent mutualist to an antagonistic species that does not depend on plant rewards. Trees occupied by this antagonist suffered increased attack by stem-boring beetles, grew more slowly, and experienced doubled mortality relative to trees occupied by the mutualistic ant. These results show that large mammals maintain cooperation within a widespread symbiosis and suggest complex cascading effects of megafaunal extinction.
منابع مشابه
Herbivores from an African Savanna Breakdown of an Ant - Plant Mutualism
, 192 (2008); 319 Science et al. Todd M. Palmer Herbivores from an African Savanna Breakdown of an Ant-Plant Mutualism Follows the Loss of Large This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only. clicking here. colleagues, clients, or customers by , you can order high-quality copies for your If you wish to distribute this article to others here. following the guidelines can be obtained b...
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ورودعنوان ژورنال:
- Science
دوره 319 5860 شماره
صفحات -
تاریخ انتشار 2008