Garden sharing and garden stealing in fungus-growing ants Export

@article{citeulike:523787, abstract = {Abstract Fungi cultivated by fungus-growing ants (Attini: Formicidae) are passed on between generations by transfer from maternal to offspring nest (vertical transmission within ant species). However, recent phylogenetic analyses revealed that cultivars are occasionally also transferred between attine species. The reasons for such lateral cultivar transfers are unknown. To investigate whether garden loss may induce ants to obtain a replacement cultivar from a neighboring colony (lateral cultivar transfer), pairs of queenright colonies of two Cyphomyrmex species were set up in two conjoined chambers; the garden of one colony was then removed to simulate the total crop loss that occurs naturally when pathogens devastate gardens. Garden-deprived colonies regained cultivars through one of three mechanisms: joining of a neighboring colony and cooperation in a common garden; stealing of a neighbor's garden; or aggressive usurpation of a neighbor's garden. Because pathogens frequently devastate attine gardens under natural conditions, garden joining, stealing and usurpation emerge as critical behavioral adaptations to survive garden catastrophes.}, author = {Adams, Rachelle M. and Mueller, U. G. and Holloway, Alisha K. and Green, Abigail M. and Narozniak, Joanie}, citeulike-article-id = {523787}, citeulike-linkout-0 = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s001140050765}, doi = {10.1007/s001140050765}, journal = {Naturwissenschaften}, keywords = {ant-fungus-symbiosis}, number = {11}, pages = {491--493}, posted-at = {2006-02-27 19:10:39}, priority = {2}, title = {Garden sharing and garden stealing in fungus-growing ants}, url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s001140050765}, volume = {87}, year = {2000} }

TY - JOUR ID - citeulike:523787 L3 - citeulike-article-id:523787 N2 - Abstract Fungi cultivated by fungus-growing ants (Attini: Formicidae) are passed on between generations by transfer from maternal to offspring nest (vertical transmission within ant species). However, recent phylogenetic analyses revealed that cultivars are occasionally also transferred between attine species. The reasons for such lateral cultivar transfers are unknown. To investigate whether garden loss may induce ants to obtain a replacement cultivar from a neighboring colony (lateral cultivar transfer), pairs of queenright colonies of two Cyphomyrmex species were set up in two conjoined chambers; the garden of one colony was then removed to simulate the total crop loss that occurs naturally when pathogens devastate gardens. Garden-deprived colonies regained cultivars through one of three mechanisms: joining of a neighboring colony and cooperation in a common garden; stealing of a neighbor's garden; or aggressive usurpation of a neighbor's garden. Because pathogens frequently devastate attine gardens under natural conditions, garden joining, stealing and usurpation emerge as critical behavioral adaptations to survive garden catastrophes. IS - 11 JF - Naturwissenschaften EP - 493 TI - Garden sharing and garden stealing in fungus-growing ants VL - 87 SP - 491 KW - ant-fungus-symbiosis AU - Adams, Rachelle AU - Mueller, UG AU - Holloway, Alisha AU - Green, Abigail AU - Narozniak, Joanie PY - 2000/// UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s001140050765 ER -