indirect mutualism: ants deter seed predators from ovipositing in yucca fruit

• Published in: Canadian journal of zoology Vol. 82; no. 5; pp. 823 - 827
• Main Authors: Perry, J.C, Mondor, E.B, Addicott, J.F
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Ottawa, Canada NRC Research Press 01.05.2004; National Research Council of Canada; Canadian Science Publishing NRC Research Press
• Subjects: Animal and plant ecology; Animal behavior; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Bioassays; Biological and medical sciences; Flowers; Flowers & plants; Formica; Formica obscuriventralis; Formica ravida; Formicidae; Fruits; fruits (plant anatomy); Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Insects; Mutualism; oviposition; plant protection; plant-insect relations; Pollination; Pollinators; Predators; Prodoxidae; seed predation; Synecology; Tegeticula corruptrix; Tegeticula yuccasella; Terrestrial ecosystems; wood ants; Yucca glauca; Alberta; Montana; Monocotyledones; Formicidae; Fruit; Insecta; Social insect; Formicoidea; Mutualism; Pest; Animal plant relation; Arthropoda; Angiospermae; Lepidoptera; Repellent; Agavaceae; Spermatophyta; Hymenoptera; Invertebrata; Egg laying behavior; Aculeata; Interspecific relation
• ISSN: 0008-4301; 1480-3283; 1480-3283; 0008-4301
• DOI: 10.1139/z04-039

An indirect mutualism arises when the beneficial effect of two species on each other depends upon the presence of a third species. Surveys, fruit dissections, and behavioural observations on yucca (Yucca glauca Nutt.) indicate that wood ants (species of Formica L., 1758) deter oviposition by non-pollinating, seed-predating moths (Tegeticula corruptrix Pellmyr, 1999) but not by pollinating moths (Tegeticula yuccasella (Riley, 1872)). Wood ants also have a direct negative effect on yuccas owing to flower bud feeding damage; however, damage is minor and variable. As wood ants decrease seed-predator oviposition by 38%, there is a net benefit of wood ants on yuccas. Thus, we suggest that an indirect mutualism can occur between wood ants and yuccas when non-pollinating yucca moths are present.