Ants mediate foliar structure and nitrogen acquisition in a tank-bromeliad.
Aechmea mertensii is a tank-bromeliad that roots on ant-gardens initiated by the ants Camponotus femoratus and Pachycondyla goeldii. Its leaves form compartments acting as phytotelmata that hold rainwater and provide habitats for invertebrates. In this article, we aimed to determine whether the association with either C. femoratus or P. goeldii influenced the vegetative traits of A. mertensii, invertebrate diversity and nutrient assimilation by the leaves. Transmitted light, vegetative traits and phytotelmata contents were compared between the two A. mertensii ant-gardens. Camponotus femoratus colonized partially shaded areas, whereas P. goeldii colonized exposed areas. The bromeliads' rosettes had a large canopy (C. femoratus ant-gardens), or were smaller and amphora shaped (P. goeldii ant-gardens). There were significant differences in leaf anatomy, as shaded leaves were thicker than exposed leaves. The mean volumes of water, fine particulate organic matter and detritus in C. femoratus-associated bromeliads were three to five times higher than in P. goeldii-associated bromeliads. Moreover, the highest invertebrate diversity and leaf delta(15)N values were found in C. femoratus-associated bromeliads. This study enhances our understanding of the dynamics of biodiversity, and shows how ant-plant interactions can have trophic consequences and thus influence the architecture of the interacting plant via a complex feedback loop.
Leroy
Céline
C
EcoFoG, Ecologie des Forêts de Guyane, UMR-CNRS 8172, Campus Agronomique, 97379 Kourou Cedex, France.|EDB, Laboratoire Evolution et Diversité Biologique, UMR-CNRS 5174, Université Paul Sabatier, 118 route de Narbonne, 31062 Toulouse Cedex 9, France.
Corbara
Bruno
B
Laboratoire Microorganismes: Génome & Environnement, Université Blaise Pascal, Clermont II, UMR-CNRS 6023, Campus des Cézeaux, 63177 Aubière Cedex, France.
Dejean
Alain
A
EcoFoG, Ecologie des Forêts de Guyane, UMR-CNRS 8172, Campus Agronomique, 97379 Kourou Cedex, France.
Céréghino
Régis
R
Ecolab, Laboratoire d'Ecologie Fonctionnelle, UMR-CNRS 5245, Université Paul Sabatier, 118 route de Narbonne, 31062 Toulouse Cedex 9, France.
D000818:Animals; D001000:Ants; D044822:Biodiversity; D031229:Bromeliaceae / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D017753:Ecosystem; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000378:metabolism*; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D014867:Water / Q000032:analysis*
D014867:Water; D009584:Nitrogen