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Suissa JS, Li FW, Moreau CS. Convergent evolution of fern nectaries facilitated independent recruitment of ant-bodyguards from flowering plants. Nat Commun 2024; 15:4392. [PMID: 38789437 PMCID: PMC11126701 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-48646-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2024] [Accepted: 05/09/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Plant-herbivore interactions reciprocally influence species' evolutionary trajectories. These interactions have led to many physical and chemical defenses across the plant kingdom. Some plants have even evolved indirect defense strategies to outsource their protection to ant bodyguards by bribing them with a sugary reward (nectar). Identifying the evolutionary processes underpinning these indirect defenses provide insight into the evolution of plant-animal interactions. Using a cross-kingdom, phylogenetic approach, we examined the convergent evolution of ant-guarding nectaries across ferns and flowering plants. Here, we discover that nectaries originated in ferns and flowering plants concurrently during the Cretaceous, coinciding with the rise of plant associations in ants. While nectaries in flowering plants evolved steadily through time, ferns showed a pronounced lag of nearly 100 My between their origin and subsequent diversification in the Cenozoic. Importantly, we find that as ferns transitioned from the forest floor into the canopy, they secondarily recruited ant bodyguards from existing ant-angiosperm relationships.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob S Suissa
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Tennessee Knoxville, Knoxville, TN, USA.
| | - Fay-Wei Li
- Boyce Thompson Institute, Ithaca, NY, USA
- Plant Biology Section, School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Corrie S Moreau
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
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Mizuno T, Sato H, Itioka T. Foraging ants affect community composition and diversity of phyllosphere fungi on a myrmecophilous plants, Mallotus japonicus. Ecol Evol 2024; 14:e11423. [PMID: 38751826 PMCID: PMC11094773 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.11423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2023] [Revised: 04/06/2024] [Accepted: 05/02/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Many microorganisms inhabit the aboveground parts of plants (i.e. the phyllosphere), which mainly comprise leaves. Understanding the structure of phyllosphere microbial communities and their drivers is important because they influence host plant fitness and ecosystem functions. Despite the high prevalence of ant-plant associations, few studies have used quantitative community data to investigate the effects of ants on phyllosphere microbial communities. In the present study, we investigated the effects of ants on the phyllosphere fungal communities of Mallotus japonicus using high-throughput sequencing. Mallotus japonicus is a myrmecophilous plants that bears extrafloral nectaries, attracting several ant species, but does not provide specific ant species with nest sites like myrmecophytes do. We experimentally excluded ants with sticky resins from the target plants and collected leaf discs to extract fungal DNA. The ribosomal DNA internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS1) regions of the phyllosphere fungi were amplified and sequenced to obtain fungal community data. Our results showed that the exclusion of ants changed the phyllosphere fungal community composition; however, the effect of ants on OTU richness was not clear. These results indicate that ants can change the community of phyllosphere fungi, even if the plant is not a myrmecophyte.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takafumi Mizuno
- Graduate School of Human and Environmental StudiesKyoto UniversityKyotoJapan
| | - Hirotoshi Sato
- Graduate School of Human and Environmental StudiesKyoto UniversityKyotoJapan
| | - Takao Itioka
- Graduate School of Human and Environmental StudiesKyoto UniversityKyotoJapan
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Paul S, Mitra A. Histochemical, metabolic and ultrastructural changes in leaf patelliform nectaries explain extrafloral nectar synthesis and secretion in Clerodendrum chinense. ANNALS OF BOTANY 2024; 133:621-642. [PMID: 38366151 PMCID: PMC11037555 DOI: 10.1093/aob/mcae019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2023] [Accepted: 02/10/2024] [Indexed: 02/18/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Extrafloral nectaries are nectar-secreting structures present on vegetative parts of plants which provide indirect defences against herbivore attack. Extrafloral nectaries in Clerodendrum chinense are patelliform-shaped specialized trichomatous structures. However, a complete understanding of patelliform extrafloral nectaries in general, and of C. chinense in particular, has not yet been established to provide fundamental insight into the cellular physiological machinery involved in nectar biosynthesis and secretory processes. METHODS We studied temporal changes in the morphological, anatomical and ultrastructural features in the architectures of extrafloral nectaries. We also compared metabolite profiles of extrafloral nectar, nectary tissue, non-nectary tissue and phloem sap. Further, both in situ histolocalization and normal in vitro activities of enzymes related to sugar metabolism were examined. KEY RESULTS Four distinct tissue regions in the nectar gland were revealed from histochemical characterization, among which the middle nectariferous tissue was found to be the metabolically active region, while the intermediate layer was found to be lipid-rich. Ultrastructural study showed the presence of a large number of mitochondria along with starch-bearing chloroplasts in the nectariferous region. However, starch depletion was noted with progressive maturation of nectaries. Metabolite analysis revealed compositional differences among nectar, phloem sap, nectary and non-nectary tissue. Invertase activity was higher in secretory stages and localized in nectariferous tissue and adjacent region. CONCLUSIONS Our study suggests extrafloral nectar secretion in C. chinense to be both eccrine and merocrine in nature. A distinct intermediate lipid-rich layer that separates the epidermis from nectary parenchyma was revealed, which possibly acts as a barrier to water flow in nectar. This study also revealed a distinction between nectar and phloem sap, and starch could act as a nectar precursor, as evidenced from enzymatic and ultrastructural studies. Thus, our findings on changing architecture of extrafloral nectaries with temporal secretion revealed a cell physiological process involved in nectar biosynthesis and secretion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shobhon Paul
- Natural Product Biotechnology Group, Agricultural and Food Engineering Department, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur – 721 302, India
| | - Adinpunya Mitra
- Natural Product Biotechnology Group, Agricultural and Food Engineering Department, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur – 721 302, India
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Calixto ES, de Oliveira Pimenta IC, Lange D, Marquis RJ, Torezan-Silingardi HM, Del-Claro K. Emerging Trends in Ant-Pollinator Conflict in Extrafloral Nectary-Bearing Plants. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2024; 13:651. [PMID: 38475497 DOI: 10.3390/plants13050651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2024] [Revised: 02/23/2024] [Accepted: 02/25/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024]
Abstract
The net outcomes of mutualisms are mediated by the trade-offs between the costs and benefits provided by both partners. Our review proposes the existence of a trade-off in ant protection mutualisms between the benefits generated by the ants' protection against the attack of herbivores and the losses caused by the disruption of pollination processes, which are commonly not quantified. This trade-off has important implications for understanding the evolution of extrafloral nectaries (EFNs), an adaptation that has repeatedly evolved throughout the flowering plant clade. We propose that the outcome of this trade-off is contingent on the specific traits of the organisms involved. We provide evidence that the protective mutualisms between ants and plants mediated by EFNs have optimal protective ant partners, represented by the optimum point of the balance between positive effects on plant protection and negative effects on pollination process. Our review also provides important details about a potential synergism of EFN functionality; that is, these structures can attract ants to protect against herbivores and/or distract them from flowers so as not to disrupt pollination processes. Finally, we argue that generalizations regarding how ants impact plants should be made with caution since ants' effects on plants vary with the identity of the ant species in their overall net outcome.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Denise Lange
- Department of Biology, Federal University of Technology-Parana, Campus Santa Helena, Santa Helena, Curitiba 80230-901, PR, Brazil
| | - Robert J Marquis
- Department of Biology and the Whitney R. Harris World Ecology Center, University of Missouri, St. Louis, MO 63121, USA
| | - Helena Maura Torezan-Silingardi
- Postgraduation Program in Entomology, Department of Biology, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto 14040-900, SP, Brazil
- Institute of Biology, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Uberlândia 38405-240, MG, Brazil
| | - Kleber Del-Claro
- Postgraduation Program in Entomology, Department of Biology, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto 14040-900, SP, Brazil
- Institute of Biology, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Uberlândia 38405-240, MG, Brazil
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Torres C, Mazzei MP, Vesprini JL, Galetto L. Plant Reproductive Success Mediated by Nectar Offered to Pollinators and Defensive Ants in Terrestrial Bromeliaceae. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2024; 13:493. [PMID: 38498426 PMCID: PMC10891524 DOI: 10.3390/plants13040493] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2023] [Revised: 01/21/2024] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 03/20/2024]
Abstract
Most plants produce floral nectar to attract pollinators that impact pollination and seed production; some of them also secrete extrafloral nectar harvested by insects that may influence the plant reproductive success. The aim of this study was to analyze the effects of excluding pollinators and/or ants on the per-plant reproductive success in two species (Dyckia floribunda Griseb. and Dyckia longipetala Baker, Bromeliaceae) that produce floral and extrafloral nectar. The hypothesis states that both ecological processes (pollination and ant defense) involving nectar-mediated animal-plant interactions are beneficial for plant reproductive success. We expected the highest decrease in the plant fruit and seed sets when the pollinators and ants were excluded, and a moderate decrease when solely ants were excluded, compared to the control plants (those exposed to pollinators and ants). In addition, a lower natural reproductive success was also expected in the self-incompatible D. longipetala than in the self-compatible D. floribunda, as the former totally depends on animal pollination for seed production. D. floribunda and D. longipetala presented similar trends in the response variables, and the expected results for the experimental treatments were observed, with some variations between species and among populations. The ecological function of nectar is important because these two plant species depend on pollinators to produce seeds and on ants to defend flowers from the endophytic larvae of Lepidoptera. The study of multispecies interactions through mechanistic experiments could be necessary to clarify the specific effects of different animals on plant reproductive success.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolina Torres
- Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal (IMBIV), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Vélez Sarsfield 1611, Córdoba CP X5016GCA, Argentina;
- Cátedra de Diversidad Biológica III, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Vélez Sarsfield 299, Córdoba CP 5000, Argentina
| | - Mariana P. Mazzei
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencias Agrarias de Rosario, IICAR-CONICET-UNR, CC 14, Zavalla CP S2125ZAA, Santa Fe, Argentina; (M.P.M.); (J.L.V.)
| | - José L. Vesprini
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencias Agrarias de Rosario, IICAR-CONICET-UNR, CC 14, Zavalla CP S2125ZAA, Santa Fe, Argentina; (M.P.M.); (J.L.V.)
| | - Leonardo Galetto
- Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal (IMBIV), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Vélez Sarsfield 1611, Córdoba CP X5016GCA, Argentina;
- Cátedra de Diversidad Biológica III, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Vélez Sarsfield 299, Córdoba CP 5000, Argentina
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de Oliveira Dias KP, Stefani V. Spider-Plant Interaction: The Role of Extrafloral Nectaries in Spider Attraction and Their Influence on Plant Herbivory and Reproduction. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2024; 13:368. [PMID: 38337900 PMCID: PMC10857052 DOI: 10.3390/plants13030368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2023] [Revised: 01/11/2024] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024]
Abstract
Spiders, abundant and diverse arthropods which occur in vegetation, have received little attention in studies investigating spider-plant interactions, especially in plants which have extrafloral nectaries (EFNs). This study examines whether spiders attracted to EFNs on the plant Heteropterys pteropetala (Malpighiaceae) function as biological protectors, mitigating leaf herbivory and positively impacting plant fitness, through manipulative experiments. Spiders are attracted to EFNs because, in addition to consuming the resource offered by these structures, they also consume the herbivores that are attracted by the nectar. At the same time, we documented the reproductive phenology of the plant studied and the abundance of spiders over time. Our results revealed that the plant's reproductive period begins in December with the emergence of flower buds and ends in April with the production of samarids, fruits which are morphologically adapted for wind dispersal, aligning with the peak abundance of spiders. Furthermore, our results demonstrated that spiders are attracted to plants that exude EFNs, resulting in a positive impact on reducing leaf area loss but with a neutral effect on protecting reproductive structures. By revealing the protective function of spiders' vegetative structures on plants, this research highlights the ecological importance of elucidating the dynamics between spiders and plants, contributing to a deeper understanding of ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karoline Pádua de Oliveira Dias
- Postgraduation Program in Ecology, Conservation and Biodiversity, Federal University of Uberlândia, Uberlândia 38405-302, Brazil;
- Laboratory of Venomous Arthropods of the Cerrado, Institute of Biology, Federal University of Uberlândia, Uberlândia 38405-302, Brazil
- Laboratory of Natural History and Reproduction of Arthropods (Laboratório de História Natural e Reprodutiva de Artrópodes/LHINRA), Institute of Biology, Federal University of Uberlândia, Uberlândia 38405-302, Brazil
| | - Vanessa Stefani
- Postgraduation Program in Ecology, Conservation and Biodiversity, Federal University of Uberlândia, Uberlândia 38405-302, Brazil;
- Laboratory of Venomous Arthropods of the Cerrado, Institute of Biology, Federal University of Uberlândia, Uberlândia 38405-302, Brazil
- Laboratory of Natural History and Reproduction of Arthropods (Laboratório de História Natural e Reprodutiva de Artrópodes/LHINRA), Institute of Biology, Federal University of Uberlândia, Uberlândia 38405-302, Brazil
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Chen X, Li Y, Pang Y, Shen W, Chen Q, Liu L, Luo X, Chen Z, Li X, Li Y, Zhang Y, Huang M, Yuan C, Wang D, Guan L, Liu Y, Yang Q, Chen H, Wu H, Yu F. A comparative analysis of morphology, microstructure, and volatile metabolomics of leaves at varied developmental stages in Ainaxiang ( Blumea balsamifera (Linn.) DC.). FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 14:1285616. [PMID: 38034556 PMCID: PMC10682096 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1285616] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2023] [Accepted: 10/26/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023]
Abstract
Introduction Ainaxiang (Blumea balsamifera (Linn.) DC.) is cultivated for the extraction of (-)-borneol and other pharmaceutical raw materials due to its abundant volatile oil. However, there is limited knowledge regarding the structural basis and composition of volatile oil accumulation in fresh B. balsamifera leaves. Methods To address this problem, we compare the fresh leaves' morphology, microstructure, and volatile metabonomic at different development stages, orderly defined from the recently unfolded young stage (S1) to the senescent stage (S4). Results and discussion Distinct differences were observed in the macro-appearance and microstructure at each stage, particularly in the B. balsamifera glandular trichomes (BbGTs) distribution. This specialized structure may be responsible for the accumulation of volatile matter. 213 metabolites were identified through metabolomic analysis, which exhibited spatiotemporal accumulation patterns among different stages. Notably, (-)-borneol was enriched at S1, while 10 key odor metabolites associated with the characteristic balsamic, borneol, fresh, and camphor aromas of B. balsamifera were enriched in S1 and S2. Ultra-microstructural examination revealed the involvement of chloroplasts, mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum, and vacuoles in the synthesizing, transporting, and storing essential oils. These findings confirm that BbGTs serve as the secretory structures in B. balsamifera, with the population and morphology of BbGTs potentially serving as biomarkers for (-)-borneol accumulation. Overall, young B. balsamifera leaves with dense BbGTs represent a rich (-)-borneol source, while mesophyll cells contribute to volatile oil accumulation. These findings reveal the essential oil accumulation characteristics in B. balsamifera, providing a foundation for further understanding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaolu Chen
- Tropical Crops Genetic Resources Institute, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences/Key Laboratory of Biology and Cultivation of Herb Medicine (Haikou), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs/Hainan Provincial Engineering Research Center for Blumea balsamifera, Haikou, China
| | - Yanqun Li
- Medicinal Plants Research Center, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yuxin Pang
- Tropical Crops Genetic Resources Institute, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences/Key Laboratory of Biology and Cultivation of Herb Medicine (Haikou), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs/Hainan Provincial Engineering Research Center for Blumea balsamifera, Haikou, China
- School of Pharmacy, Guizhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guiyang, China
| | - Wanyun Shen
- Tropical Crops Genetic Resources Institute, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences/Key Laboratory of Biology and Cultivation of Herb Medicine (Haikou), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs/Hainan Provincial Engineering Research Center for Blumea balsamifera, Haikou, China
- School of Pharmacy, Guizhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guiyang, China
| | - Qilei Chen
- School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Liwei Liu
- Tropical Crops Genetic Resources Institute, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences/Key Laboratory of Biology and Cultivation of Herb Medicine (Haikou), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs/Hainan Provincial Engineering Research Center for Blumea balsamifera, Haikou, China
- School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xueting Luo
- Tropical Crops Genetic Resources Institute, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences/Key Laboratory of Biology and Cultivation of Herb Medicine (Haikou), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs/Hainan Provincial Engineering Research Center for Blumea balsamifera, Haikou, China
- College of Tropical Crops, Yunnan Agricultural University, Puer, China
| | - Zhenxia Chen
- Tropical Crops Genetic Resources Institute, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences/Key Laboratory of Biology and Cultivation of Herb Medicine (Haikou), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs/Hainan Provincial Engineering Research Center for Blumea balsamifera, Haikou, China
| | - Xingfei Li
- Tropical Crops Genetic Resources Institute, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences/Key Laboratory of Biology and Cultivation of Herb Medicine (Haikou), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs/Hainan Provincial Engineering Research Center for Blumea balsamifera, Haikou, China
| | - Yulan Li
- Tropical Crops Genetic Resources Institute, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences/Key Laboratory of Biology and Cultivation of Herb Medicine (Haikou), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs/Hainan Provincial Engineering Research Center for Blumea balsamifera, Haikou, China
| | - Yingying Zhang
- Tropical Crops Genetic Resources Institute, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences/Key Laboratory of Biology and Cultivation of Herb Medicine (Haikou), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs/Hainan Provincial Engineering Research Center for Blumea balsamifera, Haikou, China
| | - Mei Huang
- Tropical Crops Genetic Resources Institute, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences/Key Laboratory of Biology and Cultivation of Herb Medicine (Haikou), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs/Hainan Provincial Engineering Research Center for Blumea balsamifera, Haikou, China
| | - Chao Yuan
- Tropical Crops Genetic Resources Institute, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences/Key Laboratory of Biology and Cultivation of Herb Medicine (Haikou), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs/Hainan Provincial Engineering Research Center for Blumea balsamifera, Haikou, China
| | - Dan Wang
- Tropical Crops Genetic Resources Institute, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences/Key Laboratory of Biology and Cultivation of Herb Medicine (Haikou), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs/Hainan Provincial Engineering Research Center for Blumea balsamifera, Haikou, China
| | - Lingliang Guan
- Tropical Crops Genetic Resources Institute, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences/Key Laboratory of Biology and Cultivation of Herb Medicine (Haikou), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs/Hainan Provincial Engineering Research Center for Blumea balsamifera, Haikou, China
| | - Yuchen Liu
- School of Pharmacy, Guizhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guiyang, China
| | - Quan Yang
- School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Hubiao Chen
- School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Hong Wu
- Medicinal Plants Research Center, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Fulai Yu
- Tropical Crops Genetic Resources Institute, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences/Key Laboratory of Biology and Cultivation of Herb Medicine (Haikou), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs/Hainan Provincial Engineering Research Center for Blumea balsamifera, Haikou, China
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Kansman JT, Jaramillo JL, Ali JG, Hermann SL. Chemical ecology in conservation biocontrol: new perspectives for plant protection. TRENDS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 28:1166-1177. [PMID: 37271617 DOI: 10.1016/j.tplants.2023.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2022] [Revised: 05/04/2023] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Threats to food security require novel sustainable agriculture practices to manage insect pests. One strategy is conservation biological control (CBC), which relies on pest control services provided by local populations of arthropod natural enemies. Research has explored manipulative use of chemical information from plants and insects that act as attractant cues for natural enemies (predators and parasitoids) and repellents of pests. In this review, we reflect on past strategies using chemical ecology in CBC, such as herbivore-induced plant volatiles and the push-pull technique, and propose future directions, including leveraging induced plant defenses in crop plants, repellent insect-based signaling, and genetically engineered crops. Further, we discuss how climate change may disrupt CBC and stress the importance of context dependency and yield outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica T Kansman
- Center for Chemical Ecology, Department of Entomology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA.
| | - Jorge L Jaramillo
- Center for Chemical Ecology, Department of Entomology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Jared G Ali
- Center for Chemical Ecology, Department of Entomology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Sara L Hermann
- Center for Chemical Ecology, Department of Entomology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA.
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Maximo D, Ferreira MJP, Demarco D. Inaugural Description of Extrafloral Nectaries in Sapindaceae: Structure, Diversity and Nectar Composition. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 12:3411. [PMID: 37836152 PMCID: PMC10574849 DOI: 10.3390/plants12193411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2023] [Revised: 09/23/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023]
Abstract
Sapindales is a large order with a great diversity of nectaries; however, to date, there is no information about extrafloral nectaries (EFN) in Sapindaceae, except recent topological and morphological data, which indicate an unexpected structural novelty for the family. Therefore, the goal of this study was to describe the EFN in Sapindaceae for the first time and to investigate its structure and nectar composition. Shoots and young leaves of Urvillea ulmacea were fixed for structural analyses of the nectaries using light and scanning electron microscopy. For nectar composition investigation, GC-MS and HPLC were used, in addition to histochemical tests. Nectaries of Urvillea are circular and sunken, corresponding to ocelli. They are composed of a multiple-secretory epidermis located on a layer of transfer cells, vascularized by phloem and xylem. Nectar is composed of sucrose, fructose, xylitol and glucose, in addition to amino acids, lipids and phenolic compounds. Many ants were observed gathering nectar from young leaves. These EFNs have an unprecedented structure in the family and also differ from the floral nectaries of Sapindaceae, which are composed of secretory parenchyma and release nectar through stomata. The ants observed seem to protect the plant against herbivores, and in this way, the nectar increases the defence of vegetative organs synergistically with latex.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Diego Demarco
- Departamento de Botânica, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-090, SP, Brazil; (D.M.); (M.J.P.F.)
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Nathan P, Economo EP, Guénard B, Simonsen AK, Frederickson ME. Generalized mutualisms promote range expansion in both plant and ant partners. Proc Biol Sci 2023; 290:20231083. [PMID: 37700642 PMCID: PMC10498038 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2023.1083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Mutualism improves organismal fitness, but strong dependence on another species can also limit a species' ability to thrive in a new range if its partner is absent. We assembled a large, global dataset on mutualistic traits and species ranges to investigate how multiple plant-animal and plant-microbe mutualisms affect the spread of legumes and ants to novel ranges. We found that generalized mutualisms increase the likelihood that a species establishes and thrives beyond its native range, whereas specialized mutualisms either do not affect or reduce non-native spread. This pattern held in both legumes and ants, indicating that specificity between mutualistic partners is a key determinant of ecological success in a new habitat. Our global analysis shows that mutualism plays an important, if often overlooked, role in plant and insect invasions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pooja Nathan
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, 25 Willcocks Street, Toronto M5S 3B2, Ontario, Canada
| | - Evan P. Economo
- Biodiversity and Biocomplexity Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, Onna, Okinawa 904-0495, Japan
| | - Benoit Guénard
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong
| | - Anna K. Simonsen
- Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, 11200 SW 8th St, Miami, FL 33199, USA
| | - Megan E. Frederickson
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, 25 Willcocks Street, Toronto M5S 3B2, Ontario, Canada
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Sivan P, Rao KS. Ultrastructural changes during nectar secretion from extrafloral nectaries of Pithecellobium dulce Benth. PROTOPLASMA 2023; 260:1339-1347. [PMID: 36949343 PMCID: PMC10403400 DOI: 10.1007/s00709-023-01853-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2022] [Accepted: 03/10/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The structural changes in the secretory cells are important to understand the ontogeny and nectar secretion process from the nectaries. In this study, we investigated the ultrastructural changes during different developmental/secretion stages of extrafloral nectaries (EFNs) of Pithecellobium dulce. The dense cytoplasm with active biosynthesis mechanisms such as ribosomes, mitochondria, large nucleus, and plastids with accumulated starch grains characterized the pre-secretion stage of young nectariferous cells. During the secretory phase, the cytoplasm showed distinct changes associated with endomembrane transport such as the predominant occurrence of Golgi, secretory vesicles, and ER resulting in the subsequent appearance of secretions in the intercellular and subcuticular spaces. Cell wall loosening following the dissolution of middle lamellae leading to the formation of subcuticular spaces was evident during advanced stages of nectar secretion. The characteristic cytoplasmic and apoplastic changes associated with cell death were noticed during the post-secretory stages. The structural evidence from the present study suggests the occurrence of two modes of secretion (merocrine and holocrine) during the early and late stages of secretion in the EFNs of P. dulce.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pramod Sivan
- Division of Glycoscience, Department of Chemistry, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, AlbaNova University Centre, 106 91, Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Karumanchi S Rao
- Department of Biosciences, Sardar Patel University, Vallabh Vidyanagar, Gujarat, 388120, India
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12
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Alencar CLDS, Nogueira A, Vicente RE, Coutinho ÍAC. Plant species with larger extrafloral nectaries produce better quality nectar when needed and interact with the best ant partners. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2023; 74:4613-4627. [PMID: 37115640 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erad160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2022] [Accepted: 04/27/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Few studies have explored the phenotypic plasticity of nectar production on plant attractiveness to ants. Here, we investigate the role of extrafloral nectary (EFN) size on the productivity of extrafloral nectar in three sympatric legume species. We hypothesized that plant species with larger EFNs (i) have higher induced nectar secretion after herbivory events, and (ii) are more likely to interact with more protective (i.e. dominant) ant partners. We target 90 plants of three Chamaecrista species in the field. We estimated EFN size and conducted field experiments to evaluate any differences in nectar traits before and after leaf damage to investigate the phenotypic plasticity of nectar production across species. We conducted multiple censuses of ant species feeding on EFNs over time. Plant species increased nectar descriptors after leaf damage, but in different ways. Supporting our hypothesis, C. duckeana, with the largest EFN size, increased all nectar descriptors, with most intense post-herbivory-induced response, taking its place as the most attractive to ants, including dominant species. EFN size variation was an excellent indicator of nectar productivity across species. The higher control over reward production in plants with larger sized EFNs reflects an induction mechanism under damage that reduces costs and increases the potential benefits of indirect biotic defences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cícero Luanderson da Silva Alencar
- Universidade Federal do Ceará, campus do Pici, Centro de Ciências, Departamento de Biologia, Laboratório de Morfoanatomia Funcional de Plantas, Programa de Pós-graduação em Ecologia e Recursos Naturais, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil
| | - Anselmo Nogueira
- Laboratório de Interações Planta-Animal (LIPA), Centro de Ciências Naturais e Humanas, Universidade Federal do ABC, São Bernardo do Campo, SP, Brazil
| | - Ricardo Eduardo Vicente
- Instituto Nacional da Mata Atlântica, Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia e Inovações, Santa Teresa, ES, Brazil
| | - Ítalo Antônio Cotta Coutinho
- Universidade Federal do Ceará, campus do Pici, Centro de Ciências, Departamento de Biologia, Laboratório de Morfoanatomia Funcional de Plantas, Programa de Pós-graduação em Ecologia e Recursos Naturais, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil
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13
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Hazra T, Adroit B, Denk T, Wappler T, Sarkar SK, Bera S, Khan MA. Marginal leaf galls on Pliocene leaves from India indicate mutualistic behavior between Ipomoea plants and Eriophyidae mites. Sci Rep 2023; 13:5702. [PMID: 37029134 PMCID: PMC10082081 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-31393-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2023] [Accepted: 03/10/2023] [Indexed: 04/09/2023] Open
Abstract
We report a new type of fossil margin galls arranged in a linear series on dicot leaf impressions from the latest Neogene (Pliocene) sediments of the Chotanagpur Plateau, Jharkhand, eastern India. We collected ca. 1500 impression and compression leaf fossils, of which 1080 samples bear arthropod damage referable to 37 different damage types (DT) in the 'Guide to Insect (and Other) Damage Types in Compressed Plant Fossils'. A few leaf samples identified as Ipomoea L. (Convolvulaceae) have specific margin galls that do not match any galling DT previously described. This type of galling is characterized by small, linearly arranged, irregular, sessile, sub-globose, solitary, indehiscent, solid pouch-galls with irregular ostioles. The probable damage inducers of the present galling of the foliar margin might be members of Eriophyidae (Acari). The new type of gall suggests that marginal gall-inducing mites on leaves of Ipomoea did not change their host preference at the genus level since the Pliocene. The development of marginal leaf galling in Ipomoea is linked to extrafloral nectaries that do not offer protection against arthropod galling but indirectly protect the plant against herbivory from large mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taposhi Hazra
- Palaeobotany-Palynology Laboratory, Department of Botany, Sidho-Kanho-Birsha University, Ranchi Road, Purulia, 723104, India
| | - Benjamin Adroit
- Department of Palaeobiology, Swedish Museum of Natural History, Box 50007, 10405, Stockholm, Sweden.
- IMBE, Aix Marseille Univ, Avignon Univ, CNRS, IRD, Marseille, France.
| | - Thomas Denk
- Department of Palaeobiology, Swedish Museum of Natural History, Box 50007, 10405, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Torsten Wappler
- Department of Natural History, Hessisches Landesmuseum Darmstadt, Friedensplatz 1, 64283, Darmstadt, Germany
- Paleontology Section, Institute of Geosciences, Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms Universität Bonn, 53115, Bonn, Germany
| | - Subhankar Kumar Sarkar
- Entomology Laboratory, Department of Zoology, University of Kalyani, Kalyani, Nadia, West Bengal, 741235, India
| | - Subir Bera
- Department of Botany, Centre of Advanced Study, University of Calcutta, 35, B.C. Road, Kolkata, 700019, India
| | - Mahasin Ali Khan
- Palaeobotany-Palynology Laboratory, Department of Botany, Sidho-Kanho-Birsha University, Ranchi Road, Purulia, 723104, India.
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Valdovinos FS, Hale KRS, Dritz S, Glaum PR, McCann KS, Simon SM, Thébault E, Wetzel WC, Wootton KL, Yeakel JD. A bioenergetic framework for aboveground terrestrial food webs. Trends Ecol Evol 2023; 38:301-312. [PMID: 36437144 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2022.11.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2022] [Revised: 10/10/2022] [Accepted: 11/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Bioenergetic approaches have been greatly influential for understanding community functioning and stability and predicting effects of environmental changes on biodiversity. These approaches use allometric relationships to establish species' trophic interactions and consumption rates and have been successfully applied to aquatic ecosystems. Terrestrial ecosystems, where body mass is less predictive of plant-consumer interactions, present inherent challenges that these models have yet to meet. Here, we discuss the processes governing terrestrial plant-consumer interactions and develop a bioenergetic framework integrating those processes. Our framework integrates bioenergetics specific to terrestrial plants and their consumers within a food web approach while also considering mutualistic interactions. Such a framework is poised to advance our understanding of terrestrial food webs and to predict their responses to environmental changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fernanda S Valdovinos
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA.
| | - Kayla R S Hale
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA; Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Sabine Dritz
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Paul R Glaum
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Kevin S McCann
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Sophia M Simon
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Elisa Thébault
- Sorbonne Université, UPEC, Université Paris Cité, CNRS, IRD, INRAE, Institute of Ecology and Environmental Sciences of Paris, Paris, France
| | - William C Wetzel
- Department of Integrative Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA; Department of Entomology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Kate L Wootton
- BioFrontiers Institute at the University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Justin D Yeakel
- Department of Life & Environmental Sciences, University of California, Merced, CA, USA
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Silva DRD, Souza SRD, Silva LCD. Deterioration of extrafloral nectaries and leaf damages caused by air pollution in a Brazilian native species from the Atlantic Forest. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2023; 30:43505-43521. [PMID: 36656482 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-023-25295-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2022] [Accepted: 01/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
In Brazil, more than 90% of steel mills are located in states that have Atlantic Forest which, together with the pollution of large urban centers, represent risk factors for the environmental quality of this important biome. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of urban and industrial air pollution in a city in Minas Gerais that has a steel mill on the symptomatology, on the leaf chemistry, and on the anatomy and micromorphology of extrafloral nectaries (EFNs) of Joannesia princeps Vell. (Euphorbiaceae), a native species of the Atlantic Forest. For 126 days, seedlings of J. princeps were exposed on stand systems in the urban and industrial area of MG (Ipatinga city), in the following places: Bom Retiro, Cariru, Cidade Nobre, and Veneza. For anatomical analysis, EFNs were collected and processed for microscopic analysis. In the southern parts of the steel mill closest to the Rio Doce State Park (RDSP) (Bom Retiro and Cariru), there was a predominance of NO, NOX, SO2 (Bom Retiro), naphthalene, benzene, and total suspended particulates (Cariru). In locations north of the steel mill (Cidade Nobre and Veneza), there was a predominance of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). In the urban environment, intense anatomical and micromorphological damage to EFNs, leaf damage, leaf metal accumulation, and alterations in the histochemical tests of the plants were observed. The interior of the RDSP presented environmental quality, but the contribution of pollutants near the border between the RDSP and the city of Ipatinga is worrying, requiring constant monitoring of this area to verify the impact and threat that pollution can cause on these Atlantic Forest remnants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Rodrigues da Silva
- Departamento de Biologia Vegetal, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Av. P. H. Rolfs, S/N, Campus Universitário, Viçosa, MG, 36570-900, Brazil
| | - Silvia Ribeiro de Souza
- Núcleo de Uso Sustentável dos Recursos Naturais, Instituto de Pesquisas Ambientais de São Paulo, São Paulo, 01061-970, Brazil
| | - Luzimar Campos da Silva
- Departamento de Biologia Vegetal, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Av. P. H. Rolfs, S/N, Campus Universitário, Viçosa, MG, 36570-900, Brazil.
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16
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Koptur S, Primoli AS, Pimienta MC. Defoliation in Perennial Plants: Predictable and Surprising Results in Senna spp. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 12:587. [PMID: 36771669 PMCID: PMC9919507 DOI: 10.3390/plants12030587] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2022] [Revised: 01/26/2023] [Accepted: 01/26/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
When some plants are defoliated, they may suffer by reaching a smaller final size than if they had not been damaged. Other plants may compensate for damage, ending up the same size as if they had not been damaged. Still, others may overcompensate, ending up larger after defoliation than if they had been spared from damage. We investigated the response of Senna species (Fabaceae) to defoliation, comparing two native and several ornamental congeners, all of which grow locally in southern Florida. Many Senna spp. bear foliar nectaries as nutritional resources for beneficial insects that may, in exchange, protect them from herbivores. We grew five species from seed and subjected them to three levels of defoliation for a period of several months to measure effects of leaf area removal on plant height, number of leaves, and number of extrafloral nectaries. Only three of five species displayed shorter plant heights with greater levels of damage. Two species produced fewer new leaves with moderate to severe defoliation. In only one species, the number of extrafloral nectaries decreased with defoliation, suggesting that while extrafloral nectar production may be an inducible defense in some species, producing more nectaries in response to damage does not occur in these Senna species.
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17
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Laurich JR, Reid CG, Biel C, Wu T, Knox C, Frederickson ME. Genetic architecture of multiple mutualisms and mating system in Turnera ulmifolia. J Evol Biol 2023; 36:280-295. [PMID: 36196911 DOI: 10.1111/jeb.14098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2021] [Revised: 07/08/2022] [Accepted: 07/15/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Plants often associate with multiple arthropod mutualists. These partners provide important services to their hosts, but multiple interactions can constrain a plant's ability to respond to complex, multivariate selection. Here, we quantified patterns of genetic variance and covariance among rewards for pollination, biotic defence and seed dispersal mutualisms in multiple populations of Turnera ulmifolia to better understand how the genetic architecture of multiple mutualisms might influence their evolution. We phenotyped plants cultivated from 17 Jamaican populations for several mutualism and mating system-related traits. We then fit genetic variance-covariance (G) matrices for the island metapopulation and the five largest individual populations. At the metapopulation level, we observed significant positive genetic correlations among stigma-anther separation, floral nectar production and extrafloral nectar production. These correlations have the potential to significantly constrain or facilitate the evolution of multiple mutualisms in T. ulmifolia and suggest that pollination, seed dispersal and defence mutualisms do not evolve independently. In particular, we found that positive genetic correlations between floral and extrafloral nectar production may help explain their stable coexistence in the face of physiological trade-offs and negative interactions between pollinators and ant bodyguards. Locally, we found only small differences in G among our T. ulmifolia populations, suggesting that geographic variation in G may not shape the evolution of multiple mutualisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason R Laurich
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Christopher G Reid
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Caroline Biel
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Tianbi Wu
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Faculty of the Environment, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Christopher Knox
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Megan E Frederickson
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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18
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Moraes TS, Rossi ML, Martinelli AP, Dornelas MC. Morphological and anatomical traits during development: Highlighting extrafloral nectaries in Passiflora organensis. Microsc Res Tech 2022; 85:2784-2794. [PMID: 35421272 DOI: 10.1002/jemt.24127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2021] [Revised: 03/09/2022] [Accepted: 03/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Passiflora organensis is a small herbaceous vine with characteristic morphological variations throughout its development. The plant bears button-shaped extrafloral nectaries exclusively in adult leaves. Extrafloral nectaries are structures that secrete nectar and play an important role in plant-animal interactions as a strategy for protecting plants against herbivory. In this work, we performed anatomical and ultrastructural studies to characterize P. organensis extrafloral nectaries during their secretory phase. We showed extrafloral nectaries in Passiflora organensis are composed of three distinct regions: nectary epidermis, nectariferous parenchyma, and subnectariferous parenchyma. Our data suggests that all nectary regions constitute a functional unit involved in nectar production and release. The high metabolic activity in the nectary cells is characterized by the juxtaposition of organelles such as mitochondria and plastids together plasmalemma. In addition, calcium oxalate crystals are frequently associated to the nectaries. An increasing concentration of calcium during leaf development and nectary differentiation was observed, corresponding to the calcium deposition as calcium oxalate crystals. This is the first description of extrafloral nectaries in Passiflora organensis that is a promising tropical model species for several studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tatiana S Moraes
- Plant Biotechnology Laboratory, Center for Nuclear Energy in Agriculture, University of São Paulo, Piracicaba, SP, Brazil
| | - Mônica Lanzoni Rossi
- Plant Biotechnology Laboratory, Center for Nuclear Energy in Agriculture, University of São Paulo, Piracicaba, SP, Brazil
| | - Adriana P Martinelli
- Plant Biotechnology Laboratory, Center for Nuclear Energy in Agriculture, University of São Paulo, Piracicaba, SP, Brazil
| | - Marcelo C Dornelas
- Department of Plant Biology, Institute of Biology, University of Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brazil
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19
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Lambert P, Confolent C, Heurtevin L, Dlalah N, Signoret V, Quilot-Turion B, Pascal T. Insertion of a mMoshan transposable element in PpLMI1, is associated with the absence or globose phenotype of extrafloral nectaries in peach [Prunus persica (L.) Batsch]. HORTICULTURE RESEARCH 2022; 9:uhab044. [PMID: 35039854 PMCID: PMC8829895 DOI: 10.1093/hr/uhab044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2020] [Revised: 08/14/2021] [Accepted: 09/17/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Most commercial peach [Prunus persica (L.) Batsch] cultivars have leaves with extrafloral nectaries (EFNs). Breeders have selected this character over time, as they observed that the eglandular phenotype resulted in high susceptibility to peach powdery mildew, a major disease of peach trees. EFNs are controlled by a Mendelian locus (E), mapped on chromosome 7. However, the genetic factor underlying E was unknown. In order to address this point, we developed a mapping population of 833 individuals derived from the selfing of "Malo Konare", a Bulgarian peach cultivar, heterozygous for the trait. This progeny was used to investigate the E-locus region, along with additional resources including peach genomic resequencing data, and 271 individuals from various origins used for validation. High-resolution mapping delimited a 40.6 kbp interval including the E-locus and four genes. Moreover, three double-recombinants allowed identifying Prupe.7G121100, a LMI1-like homeodomain leucine zipper (HD-Zip) transcription factor, as a likely candidate for the trait. By comparing peach genomic resequencing data from individuals with contrasted phenotypes, a MITE-like transposable element of the hAT superfamily (mMoshan) was identified in the third exon of Prupe.7G121100. It was associated with the absence or globose phenotype of EFNs. The insertion of the transposon was positively correlated with enhanced expression of Prupe.7G121100. Furthermore, a PCR marker designed from the sequence-variants, allowed to properly assign the phenotypes of all the individuals studied. These findings provide valuable information on the genetic control of a trait poorly known so far although selected for a long time in peach.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Carole Confolent
- INRAE, GAFL, Montfavet, F-84143, FRANCE
- INRAE, UMR GDEC, Clermont-Ferrand, F-63100, FRANCE
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20
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Mehltreter K, Tenhaken R, Jansen S. Nectaries in ferns: their taxonomic distribution, structure, function, and sugar composition. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BOTANY 2022; 109:46-57. [PMID: 34643269 DOI: 10.1002/ajb2.1781] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2021] [Revised: 09/29/2021] [Accepted: 10/01/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
PREMISE Extrafloral nectaries have mainly been studied in angiosperms, but have also been reported in 39 fern species. Here we provide a global review of nectaries in ferns and examined their structure, function, and nectar sugar composition in two genera. METHODS We searched in the literature and living plant collections of botanical gardens for indications of fern nectaries, observed nectar-feeding animals, studied the morphoanatomy in the two genera Aglaomorpha and Campyloneurum, and analyzed the total sugar concentrations and ratios of 16 species. Diurnal nectar release was observed with time-lapse photography. RESULTS We found evidence for nectaries in 101 species of ferns from 11 genera and 6 families. Most of the nectary-bearing species were tree ferns (Cyatheaceae) and epiphytic ferns of the family Polypodiaceae. Nectaries consisted of cytoplasm-rich parenchyma with large nuclei and an epidermis with or without stomata, were attached to amphiphloic vascular bundles, and released nectar on the lower leaf surface mainly on expanding leaves during the night. Sugar concentrations varied between species (3.8-15.3%) but not between genera, and were sucrose-dominant (3 spp.), sucrose-rich (7), or hexose-rich (3). In the greenhouse, introduced ants, scale insects, and snails fed on the nectar. CONCLUSIONS The wide taxonomic distribution, variable morphology, locations, and sugar compositions point to multiple evolutionary origins of fern nectaries. Nectar release in young leaves might attract mutualistic ants to protect leaves against herbivores only during this most vulnerable developmental stage. Even ex-situ, fern nectar is a valuable food source because it attracted several opportunistic animal species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Klaus Mehltreter
- Red de Ecología Funcional, Instituto de Ecología, A.C., Carretera antigua a Coatepec No. 351, El Haya, Xalapa, 91073, México
- Institute of Systematic Botany and Ecology, Ulm University, Albert-Einstein-Allee 11, Ulm, 89081, Germany
| | - Raimund Tenhaken
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Salzburg, Hellbrunnerstr. 34, Salzburg, 5020, Austria
| | - Steven Jansen
- Institute of Systematic Botany and Ecology, Ulm University, Albert-Einstein-Allee 11, Ulm, 89081, Germany
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Chinarelli HD, Nogueira A, Leal LC. Extrafloral nectar production induced by simulated herbivory does not improve ant bodyguard attendance and ultimately plant defence. Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2021. [DOI: 10.1093/biolinnean/blab159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Highly competitive and aggressive ant species are efficient bodyguards that monopolize the more attractive plants bearing extrafloral nectaries. Given that herbivory often increases the quality of extrafloral nectar, we hypothesized that plants damaged by herbivory would be more prone to interact with high-quality ant bodyguards and be better defended against herbivores. We performed an experiment with Chamaecrista nictitans plants. We induced anti-herbivore responses by applying jasmonic acid to a group of plants while keeping another group unmanaged. We measured extrafloral nectar production, censused ants visiting extrafloral nectaries and, subsequently, added herbivore mimics to measure the efficiency of ant anti-herbivore defence in both conditions. Induction increased the volume of extrafloral nectar and the mass of sugar per nectary without affecting the sugar concentration or the patterns of plant attendance and defence by ants. Thus, we found no evidence that defence-induced C. nictitans plants are more prone to interact with high-quality bodyguards or to receive better anti-herbivore defence. These findings highlight that increases in extrafloral nectar production are not always rewarded with increases in the biotic defences; instead, these rewards might be dependent on the traits of the nectar induced by herbivory events and/or on the ecological context in which the interaction is embedded. Consequently, herbivory might increase the costs of this induced biotic defence to plants bearing extrafloral nectaries when the induced defence does not increase the attractiveness of the plants to ants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henrique D Chinarelli
- Departamento de Ecologia e Biologia Evolutiva, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Rua Artur Riedel, 275 , Eldorado, Diadema, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Anselmo Nogueira
- Centro de Ciências Naturais e Humanas (CCNH), Universidade Federal do ABC, Alameda da Universidade, s/nº, Anchieta, São Bernardo do Campo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Laura C Leal
- Departamento de Ecologia e Biologia Evolutiva, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Rua Artur Riedel, 275 , Eldorado, Diadema, São Paulo, Brazil
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22
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Arnan X, Silva CHF, Reis DQA, Oliveira FMP, Câmara T, Ribeiro EMS, Andersen AN, Leal IR. Individual and interactive effects of chronic anthropogenic disturbance and rainfall on taxonomic, functional and phylogenetic composition and diversity of extrafloral nectary-bearing plants in Brazilian Caatinga. Oecologia 2021; 198:267-277. [PMID: 34767071 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-021-05074-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2021] [Accepted: 11/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Chronic anthropogenic disturbance (CAD) and climate change represent two of the major threats to biodiversity globally, but their combined effects are not well understood. Here we investigate the individual and interactive effects of increasing CAD and decreasing rainfall on the composition and taxonomic (TD), functional (FD) and phylogenetic diversity (PD) of plants possessing extrafloral nectaries (EFNs) in semi-arid Brazilian Caatinga. EFNs attract ants that protect plants against insect herbivore attack and are extremely prevalent in the Caatinga flora. EFN-bearing plants were censused along gradients of disturbance and rainfall in Catimbau National Park in north-eastern Brazil. We recorded a total of 2243 individuals belonging to 21 species. Taxonomic and functional composition varied along the rainfall gradient, but not along the disturbance gradient. There was a significant interaction between increasing disturbance and decreasing rainfall, with CAD leading to decreased TD, FD and PD in the most arid areas, and to increased TD, FD and PD in the wettest areas. We found a strong phylogenetic signal in the EFN traits we analysed, which explains the strong matching between patterns of FD and PD along the environmental gradients. The interactive effects of disturbance and rainfall revealed by our study indicate that the decreased rainfall forecast for Caatinga under climate change will increase the sensitivity of EFN-bearing plants to anthropogenic disturbance. This has important implications for the availability of a key food resource, which would likely have cascading effects on higher trophic levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xavier Arnan
- Universidade de Pernambuco - Campus Garanhuns, Rua Capitão Pedro Rodrigues 105, Garanhuns, PE, 55290-000, Brazil.
| | - Carlos H F Silva
- Programa de Pós-Graduação Em Biologia Vegetal, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Av. Professor Moraes Rego s/n, Cidade Universitária, Recife, PE, 50670-901, Brazil
| | - Daniela Q A Reis
- Programa de Pós-Graduação Em Biologia Vegetal, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Av. Professor Moraes Rego s/n, Cidade Universitária, Recife, PE, 50670-901, Brazil
| | - Fernanda M P Oliveira
- Programa de Pós-Graduação Em Biologia Vegetal, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Av. Professor Moraes Rego s/n, Cidade Universitária, Recife, PE, 50670-901, Brazil
| | - Talita Câmara
- Universidade de Pernambuco - Campus Garanhuns, Rua Capitão Pedro Rodrigues 105, Garanhuns, PE, 55290-000, Brazil.,Programa de Pós-Graduação Em Biologia Vegetal, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Av. Professor Moraes Rego s/n, Cidade Universitária, Recife, PE, 50670-901, Brazil
| | - Elâine M S Ribeiro
- Programa de Pós-Graduação Em Biologia Vegetal, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Av. Professor Moraes Rego s/n, Cidade Universitária, Recife, PE, 50670-901, Brazil.,Colegiado de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade de Pernambuco-Campus Petrolina, BR 203, km 2, s/n, Vila Eduardo, Petrolina, PE, 56328-903, Brazil
| | - Alan N Andersen
- Charles Darwin University, Ellengowan Dr, Casuarina, Northern Territory, 0810, Australia
| | - Inara R Leal
- Departamento de Botânica, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Av. Professor Moraes Rego s/n, Cidade Universitária, Recife, PE, 50670-901, Brazil
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23
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Swan T, Ritmejerytė E, Sebayang B, Jones R, Devine G, Graham M, Zich FA, Staunton KM, Russell TL, Burkot TR. Sugar prevalence in Aedes albopictus differs by habitat, sex and time of day on Masig Island, Torres Strait, Australia. Parasit Vectors 2021; 14:520. [PMID: 34625096 PMCID: PMC8501651 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-021-05020-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2021] [Accepted: 09/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Sugar feeding is a fundamental behaviour of many mosquito species. For Aedes albopictus, an important vector of dengue virus and chikungunya virus, little is known about its sugar-feeding behaviour, and no studies have been conducted on this in the southern hemisphere. This knowledge is pivotal for determining the potential of attractive targeted sugar baits (ATSBs) to control this important vector. Methods The prevalence of sugar was assessed in 1808 Ae. albopictus from Masig Island, Torres Strait, Australia collected between 13 and 25 March 2020. Fructose presence and content in field-collected Ae. albopictus were quantified using the cold anthrone assay. Results Significantly more male (35.8%) than female (28.4%) Ae. albopictus were sugar fed. There was a significant interaction between sex and time of day on the probability of capturing sugar-fed Ae. albopictus. For both sexes, fructose prevalence and content were higher in mosquitoes caught in the morning than in the afternoon. Female Ae. albopictus collected in the residential habitat were significantly more likely to be sugar fed than those collected in the woodland habitat. Conclusions These findings provide baseline information about the sugar-feeding patterns of Ae. albopictus and provide essential information to enable an assessment of the potential of ATSBs for vector suppression and control on Masig Island, with relevance to other locations where this species occurs. Graphical abstract ![]()
Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13071-021-05020-w.
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Affiliation(s)
- T Swan
- College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Cairns, Australia. .,Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Cairns, Australia.
| | - E Ritmejerytė
- Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Cairns, Australia
| | - B Sebayang
- College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Cairns, Australia.,Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Cairns, Australia
| | - R Jones
- Division of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Townsville, Australia
| | - G Devine
- Mosquito Control Laboratory, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, Australia
| | - M Graham
- Mosquito Control Laboratory, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, Australia
| | - F A Zich
- Australian Tropical Herbarium, James Cook University, Cairns, Australia.,National Research Collections Australia, Commonwealth Industrial and Scientific Research Organisation (CSIRO), Canberra, Australia
| | - K M Staunton
- College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Cairns, Australia.,Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Cairns, Australia
| | - T L Russell
- College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Cairns, Australia.,Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Cairns, Australia
| | - T R Burkot
- College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Cairns, Australia.,Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Cairns, Australia
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24
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Aranda-Rickert A, Torréns J, Yela NI, Brizuela MM, Di Stilio VS. Distance Dependent Contribution of Ants to Pollination but Not Defense in a Dioecious, Ambophilous Gymnosperm. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2021; 12:722405. [PMID: 34567036 PMCID: PMC8459830 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2021.722405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2021] [Accepted: 08/20/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Dioecious plants are obligate outcrossers with separate male and female individuals, which can result in decreased seed set with increasing distance between the sexes. Wind pollination is a common correlate of dioecy, yet combined wind and insect pollination (ambophily) could be advantageous in compensating for decreased pollen flow to isolated females. Dioecious, ambophilous gymnosperms Ephedra (Gnetales) secrete pollination drops (PDs) in female cones that capture airborne pollen and attract ants that feed on them. Plant sugary secretions commonly reward ants in exchange for indirect plant defense against herbivores, and more rarely for pollination. We conducted field experiments to investigate whether ants are pollinators and/or plant defenders of South American Ephedra triandra, and whether their contribution to seed set and seed cone protection varies with distance between female and male plants. We quantified pollen flow in the wind and assessed the effectiveness of ants as pollinators by investigating their relative contribution to seed set, and their visitation rate in female plants at increasing distance from the nearest male. Ants accounted for most insect visits to female cones of E. triandra, where they consumed PDs, and pollen load was larger on bigger ants without reduction in pollen viability. While wind pollination was the main contributor to seed set overall, the relative contribution of ants was distance dependent. Ant contribution to seed set was not significant at shorter distances, yet at the farthest distance from the nearest male (23 m), where 20 times less pollen reached females, ants enhanced seed set by 30% compared to plants depending solely on wind pollination. We found no evidence that ants contribute to plant defense by preventing seed cone damage. Our results suggest that, despite their short-range movements, ants can offset pollen limitation in isolated females of wind-pollinated plants with separate sexes. We propose that ants enhance plant reproductive success via targeted delivery of airborne pollen, through frequent contact with ovule tips while consuming PDs. Our study constitutes the first experimental quantification of distance-dependent contribution of ants to pollination and provides a working hypothesis for ambophily in other dioecious plants lacking pollinator reward in male plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adriana Aranda-Rickert
- Centro Regional de Investigaciones Científicas y Transferencia Tecnológica de La Rioja (CRILAR-CONICET), Anillaco, Argentina
| | - Javier Torréns
- Centro Regional de Investigaciones Científicas y Transferencia Tecnológica de La Rioja (CRILAR-CONICET), Anillaco, Argentina
- Universidad Nacional de La Rioja, La Rioja, Argentina
| | - Natalia I. Yela
- Centro Regional de Investigaciones Científicas y Transferencia Tecnológica de La Rioja (CRILAR-CONICET), Anillaco, Argentina
| | - María Magdalena Brizuela
- Centro Regional de Investigaciones Científicas y Transferencia Tecnológica de La Rioja (CRILAR-CONICET), Anillaco, Argentina
- Universidad Nacional de La Rioja, La Rioja, Argentina
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25
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Machado SR, Rodrigues TM. Apoplasmic barrier in the extrafloral nectary of Citharexylum myrianthum (Verbenaceae). PLANTA 2021; 254:19. [PMID: 34215938 DOI: 10.1007/s00425-021-03663-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2021] [Accepted: 06/14/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The cytological changes underlying the formation of an apoplasmic barrier in the multi-layered extrafloral nectaries of Citharexylum myrianthum are compatible with the synthesis, transport and deposition of suberin. In terms of ontogenesis and function, the intermediate layers of these nectaries are homologous with the stalks of nectar-secreting trichomes. Anticlinal cell wall impregnations are common in trichomatic nectaries and their functions as endodermis-like barriers have been discussed because of possible direct effects on the nectary physiology, mainly in the nectar secretion and resorption. However, the cytological events linked to nectary wall impregnations remain little explored. This study documents the ontogenesis and the fine structure of the EFN cells, and cytological events linked to the wall impregnations of multi-layered extrafloral nectaries (EFNs) in Citharexylum myrianthum Cham. (Verbenaceae). EFNs are patelliform, and differentiated into (a) a multicellular foot, which is compound in structure and vascularised with phloem strands, (b) a bi-layered intermediate region with thickened cell walls and (c) a single-layered secretory region with palisade-like cells. EFNs are protodermal in origin, starting with a single protodermal cell and ending with the complex, multi-layered structure. The cell wall impregnations first appear in the very young EFN and increase towards maturity. Lipid patches (assumed to be suberin) are deposited on the inner faces of the primary walls, first along the anticlinal walls and then extend to the periclinal walls. On both walls, plasmodesmata remain apparently intact during the maturation of the EFNs. In the peripheral cytoplasm there are abundant polymorphic plastids, well-developed Golgi bodies often close to rough endoplasmic reticulum profiles, mitochondria and polyribosomes. Cytological events linked to the wall impregnations are consistent with suberin synthesis, transport and deposition. Our findings offer new insights into the structure-properties of specialised nectary cell walls and so should contribute to our knowledge of the physiological and protective roles of this structure in nectar glands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Rodrigues Machado
- Centre of Electron Microscopy (CME), Institute of Biosciences of Botucatu (IBB), São Paulo State University (UNESP), Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil.
| | - Tatiane Maria Rodrigues
- Department of Biostatistics, Plant Biology, Parasitology and Zoology, Institute of Biosciences of Botucatu (IBB), São Paulo State University (UNESP), Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil
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26
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Hu W, Qin W, Jin Y, Wang P, Yan Q, Li F, Yang Z. Genetic and evolution analysis of extrafloral nectary in cotton. PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL 2020; 18:2081-2095. [PMID: 32096298 PMCID: PMC7540171 DOI: 10.1111/pbi.13366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2019] [Revised: 01/31/2020] [Accepted: 02/16/2020] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Extrafloral nectaries are a defence trait that plays important roles in plant-animal interactions. Gossypium species are characterized by cellular grooves in leaf midribs that secret large amounts of nectar. Here, with a panel of 215 G. arboreum accessions, we compared extrafloral nectaries to nectariless accessions to identify a region of Chr12 that showed strong differentiation and overlapped with signals from GWAS of nectaries. Fine mapping of an F2 population identified GaNEC1, encoding a PB1 domain-containing protein, as a positive regulator of nectary formation. An InDel, encoding a five amino acid deletion, together with a nonsynonymous substitution, was predicted to cause 3D structural changes in GaNEC1 protein that could confer the nectariless phenotype. mRNA-Seq analysis showed that JA-related genes are up-regulated and cell wall-related genes are down-regulated in the nectary. Silencing of GaNEC1 led to a smaller size of foliar nectary phenotype. Metabolomics analysis identified more than 400 metabolites in nectar, including expected saccharides and amino acids. The identification of GaNEC1 helps establish the network regulating nectary formation and nectar secretion, and has implications for understanding the production of secondary metabolites in nectar. Our results will deepen our understanding of plant-mutualism co-evolution and interactions, and will enable utilization of a plant defence trait in cotton breeding efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Hu
- Zhengzhou Research Base, State Key Laboratory of Cotton BiologyZhengzhou UniversityZhengzhouChina
| | - Wenqiang Qin
- Zhengzhou Research Base, State Key Laboratory of Cotton BiologyZhengzhou UniversityZhengzhouChina
| | - Yuying Jin
- Zhengzhou Research Base, State Key Laboratory of Cotton BiologyZhengzhou UniversityZhengzhouChina
| | | | | | - Fuguang Li
- Zhengzhou Research Base, State Key Laboratory of Cotton BiologyZhengzhou UniversityZhengzhouChina
- State Key Laboratory of Cotton BiologyInstitute of Cotton Research of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural SciencesAnyangChina
| | - Zhaoen Yang
- Zhengzhou Research Base, State Key Laboratory of Cotton BiologyZhengzhou UniversityZhengzhouChina
- State Key Laboratory of Cotton BiologyInstitute of Cotton Research of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural SciencesAnyangChina
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27
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Belan HC, Barônio GJ, Kuster VC, Oliveira DC, Vasconcelos HL. Extranuptial nectaries in flowers: ants increase the reproductive success of the ant-plant Miconia tococa (Melastomataceae). PLANT BIOLOGY (STUTTGART, GERMANY) 2020; 22:917-923. [PMID: 32485039 DOI: 10.1111/plb.13138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Although the production of extranuptial nectar is a common strategy of indirect defence against herbivores among tropical plants, the presence of extranuptial nectaries in reproductive structures is rare, especially in ant-plants. This is because the presence of ants in reproductive organs can generate conflicts between the partners, as ants can inhibit the activity of pollinators or even castrate their host plants. Here we evaluate the hypothesis that the ant-plant Miconia tococa produces nectar in its petals which attracts ants and affects fruit set. Floral buds were analysed using anatomical and histochemical techniques. The frequency and behaviour of floral visitors were recorded in field observations. Finally, an ant exclusion experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of ant presence on fruit production. The petals of M. tococa have a secretory epidermis that produces sugary compounds. Nectar production occurred during the floral bud stage and attracted 17 species of non-obligate ants (i.e. have a facultative association with ant-plants). Ants foraged only on floral buds, and thus did not affect the activity of pollinators in the neighbouring open flowers. The presence of ants in the inflorescences increased fruit production by 15%. To our knowledge, the production of extranuptial nectar in the reproductive structures of a myrmecophyte is very rare, with few records in the literature. Although studies show conflicts between the partners in the ant-plant interaction, ants that forage on M. tococa floral buds protect the plant against floral herbivores without affecting bee pollination.
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Affiliation(s)
- H C Belan
- Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Uberlândia, Brazil
| | - G J Barônio
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciência Florestal, Universidade Federal dos Vales do Jequitinhonha e Mucuri, Diamantina, Brazil
| | - V C Kuster
- Unidade Acadêmica Especial de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Jataí, Jataí, Brazil
| | - D C Oliveira
- Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Uberlândia, Brazil
| | - H L Vasconcelos
- Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Uberlândia, Brazil
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28
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Peng JC, Ma XG, Wang YH, Sun H. New insights into the evolutionary history of Megacodon: Evidence from a newly discovered species. PLANT DIVERSITY 2020; 42:198-208. [PMID: 32695953 PMCID: PMC7361429 DOI: 10.1016/j.pld.2020.05.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2020] [Revised: 05/28/2020] [Accepted: 05/28/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Megacodon is an ideal genus to study speciation and ecological adaptation in the Sino-Himalayan region. The genus contains two species distributed at different elevations and in two separate areas. However, studies of this genus have long been impeded by a lack of fieldwork on one of its species, Megacodon venosus. In this study, we collected specimens of two Megacodon species and found an extraordinary new species of Megacodon in Lushui county of north-west Yunnan province, which we have since named Megacodon lushuiensis. We propose new species based on both morphological and molecular evidence. The finding of this new species emphasized the importance of ecological divergence in the divergence of Megacodon stylophorus and its parapatric low-elevation Megacodon species. To identify genetic determinants that underlie adaptations to different elevations, we characterized transcriptomes of the new species M. lushuiensis, which is distributed at low elevations, and M. stylophorus, which is distributed at high elevations. Comparative transcriptome analysis identified 8926 orthogroups containing single-copy genes, and 370 orthogroups containing significantly positively selected genes. The set of positively selected genes was enriched into 25 Gene Ontology terms, including "response to water deprivation", "response to osmotic stress", and "cellular response to external stimulus". Our results provide new insights into how ecological adaptation and speciation occurred in Megacodon and highlight the role of heterogeneous habitats in the speciation of plants in the Sino-Himalayan region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun-Chu Peng
- School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, China
- CAS Key Laboratory for Plant Diversity and Biogeography of East Asia, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650201, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Xiang-Guang Ma
- CAS Key Laboratory for Plant Diversity and Biogeography of East Asia, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650201, China
| | - Yue-Hua Wang
- School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, China
| | - Hang Sun
- CAS Key Laboratory for Plant Diversity and Biogeography of East Asia, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650201, China
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29
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Mesquita-Neto JN, Paiva EAS, Galetto L, Schlindwein C. Nectar Secretion of Floral Buds of Tococa guianensis Mediates Interactions With Generalist Ants That Reduce Florivory. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2020; 11:627. [PMID: 32508868 PMCID: PMC7253585 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2020.00627] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2019] [Accepted: 04/23/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The specialised mutualism between Tococa guianensis and ants housed in its leaf domatia is a well-known example of myrmecophily. A pollination study on this species revealed that flowers in the bud stage exude a sugary solution that is collected by ants. Given the presence of this unexpected nectar secretion, we investigated how, where, and when floral buds of T. guianensis secret nectar and what function it serves. We studied a population of T. guianensis occurring in a swampy area in the Cerrado of Brazil by analyzing the chemical composition and secretion dynamics of the floral-bud nectar and the distribution and ultrastructure of secretory tissues. We also measured flower damage using ant-exclusion experiments. Floral bud nectar was secreted at the tip of the petals, which lack a typical glandular structure but possess distinctive mesophyll due to the presence of numerous calcium oxalate crystals. The nectar, the production of which ceased after flower opening, was composed mainly of sucrose and low amounts of glucose and fructose. Nectar was consumed by generalist ants and sporadically by stingless bees. Ant exclusion experiments resulted in significantly increased flower damage. The floral nectar of T. guianensis is produced during the bud stage. This bud-nectar has the extranuptial function of attracting generalist ants that reduce florivory. Pollen is the unique floral resource attracting pollinators during anthesis. Tococa guianensis, thus, establishes relationships with two functional groups of ant species: specialist ants acting against herbivory and generalist ants acting against florivory.
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Affiliation(s)
- José Neiva Mesquita-Neto
- Departamento de Botânica, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
- Centro de Investigación en Estudios Avanzados del Maule, Vicerrectoría de Investigación y Postgrado, Universidad Católica del Maule, Talca, Chile
| | - Elder Antônio Sousa Paiva
- Departamento de Botânica, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Leonardo Galetto
- Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal (UNC-CONICET), Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Clemens Schlindwein
- Departamento de Botânica, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
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30
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Hatcher CR, Ryves DB, Millett J. The function of secondary metabolites in plant carnivory. ANNALS OF BOTANY 2020; 125:399-411. [PMID: 31760424 PMCID: PMC7061172 DOI: 10.1093/aob/mcz191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2019] [Accepted: 11/22/2019] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Carnivorous plants are an ideal model system for evaluating the role of secondary metabolites in plant ecology and evolution. Carnivory is a striking example of convergent evolution to attract, capture and digest prey for nutrients to enhance growth and reproduction and has evolved independently at least ten times. Though the roles of many traits in plant carnivory have been well studied, the role of secondary metabolites in the carnivorous habit is considerably less understood. SCOPE This review provides the first synthesis of research in which secondary plant metabolites have been demonstrated to have a functional role in plant carnivory. From these studies we identify key metabolites for plant carnivory and their functional role, and highlight biochemical similarities across taxa. From this synthesis we provide new research directions for integrating secondary metabolites into understanding of the ecology and evolution of plant carnivory. CONCLUSIONS Carnivorous plants use secondary metabolites to facilitate prey attraction, capture, digestion and assimilation. We found ~170 metabolites for which a functional role in carnivory has been demonstrated. Of these, 26 compounds are present across genera that independently evolved a carnivorous habit, suggesting convergent evolution. Some secondary metabolites have been co-opted from other processes, such as defence or pollinator attraction. Secondary metabolites in carnivorous plants provide a potentially powerful model system for exploring the role of metabolites in plant evolution. They also show promise for elucidating how the generation of novel compounds, as well as the co-option of pre-existing metabolites, provides a strategy for plants to occupy different environments.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - David B Ryves
- Geography and Environment, Loughborough University, Loughborough, LE, UK
| | - Jonathan Millett
- Geography and Environment, Loughborough University, Loughborough, LE, UK
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31
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Martins J, Moreira A, Assunção M, Oliveira A, Almeida J. Trade-off in plant-ant interactions: seasonal variations. BRAZ J BIOL 2020; 80:921-933. [PMID: 31967280 DOI: 10.1590/1519-6984.229848] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2019] [Accepted: 11/20/2019] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
This work evaluated the effect of seasonality on ant-plant interaction in a Seasonally Dry Tropical Forests, using as an ecological model the species Ipomoea carnea subs. fistulosa (Convolvulaceae). We performed systematic collection of ants, herbivores and leaves in marked plants, evaluated the efficiency of herbivorous capture by ants, and the effects of ant presence over the pollinator behavior and plant fitness in dry and rainy seasons. The presence of ants in the plants reduced the number of herbivores (dry season: F2.27=4.7617, p=0.0166; rainy season: F2.27=5.8655, p=0.0078). However, the capture efficiency was negatively affected by the presence of myrmecophilous larvae, so that the average of ants recruited on termite leaves was 2.06 ants per termite, the average recruitment of ants on larval leaves was 22.4 larva ants. In addition, the presence of ants reduced pollinator visits and promoted fruit reduction during the dry season (ANOVA: F = 3.44; p = 0.0653). In conclusion, the association with ants can result in a balance not always favorable to the host plant, and this result actually depends on abiotic (e.g. precipitation) and biotic factors (e.g. ant species composition and abundance, influence of other trophic levels and identity of associated herbivores).
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Affiliation(s)
- J Martins
- Departamento de Botânica, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco - UFPE, Av. Professor Morais Rego, 1235, Cidade Universitária, CEP 50670-901, Recife, PE, Brasil
| | - A Moreira
- Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Campina Grande - UFCG, Campus Patos, Av. Universitária, s/n, Santa Cecília, CEP 58708-110, Patos, PB, Brasil
| | - M Assunção
- Departamento de Botânica, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco - UFPE, Av. Professor Morais Rego, 1235, Cidade Universitária, CEP 50670-901, Recife, PE, Brasil
| | - A Oliveira
- Departamento de Botânica, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco - UFPE, Av. Professor Morais Rego, 1235, Cidade Universitária, CEP 50670-901, Recife, PE, Brasil
| | - J Almeida
- Departamento de Botânica, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco - UFPE, Av. Professor Morais Rego, 1235, Cidade Universitária, CEP 50670-901, Recife, PE, Brasil
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32
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Functional Role of Extrafloral Nectar in Boreal Forest Ecosystems under Climate Change. FORESTS 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/f11010067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Carbohydrate-rich extrafloral nectar (EFN) is produced in nectaries on the leaves, stipules, and stems of plants and provides a significant energy source for ants and other plant mutualists outside of the flowering period. Our review of literature on EFN indicates that only a few forest plant species in cool boreal environments bear EFN-producing nectaries and that EFN production in many boreal and subarctic plant species is poorly studied. Boreal forest, the world’s largest land biome, is dominated by coniferous trees, which, like most gymnosperms, do not produce EFN. Notably, common deciduous tree species that can be dominant in boreal forest stands, such as Betula and Alnus species, do not produce EFN, while Prunus and Populus species are the most important EFN-producing tree species. EFN together with aphid honeydew is known to play a main role in shaping ant communities. Ants are considered to be keystone species in mixed and conifer-dominated boreal and mountain forests because they transfer a significant amount of carbon from the canopy to the soil. Our review suggests that in boreal forests aphid honeydew is a more important carbohydrate source for ants than in many warmer ecosystems and that EFN-bearing plant species might not have a competitive advantage against herbivores. However, this hypothesis needs to be tested in the future. Warming of northern ecosystems under climate change might drastically promote the invasion of many EFN-producing plants and the associated insect species that consume EFN as their major carbohydrate source. This may result in substantial changes in the diet preferences of ant communities, the preventative roles of ants against insect pest outbreaks, and the ecosystem services they provide. However, wood ants have adapted to using tree sap that leaks from bark cracks in spring, which may mitigate the effects of improved EFN availability.
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Maccracken SA, Miller IM, Labandeira CC. Late Cretaceous domatia reveal the antiquity of plant-mite mutualisms in flowering plants. Biol Lett 2019; 15:20190657. [PMID: 31744409 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2019.0657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Mite houses, or acarodomatia, are found on the leaves of over 2000 living species of flowering plants today. These structures facilitate tri-trophic interactions between the host plant, its fungi or herbivore adversaries, and fungivorous or predaceous mites by providing shelter for the mite consumers. Previously, the oldest acarodomatia were described on a Cenozoic Era fossil leaf dating to 49 Myr in age. Here, we report the first occurrence of Mesozoic Era acarodomatia in the fossil record from leaves discovered in the Upper Cretaceous Kaiparowits Formation (76.6-74.5 Ma) in southern UT, USA. This discovery extends the origin of acarodomatia by greater than 25 Myr, and the antiquity of this plant-mite mutualism provides important constraints for the evolutionary history of acarodomatia on angiosperms.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Augusta Maccracken
- Department of Entomology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA.,Department of Paleobiology, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC 20013, USA.,Department of Earth Sciences, Denver Museum of Nature & Science, Denver, CO 80205, USA
| | - Ian M Miller
- Department of Earth Sciences, Denver Museum of Nature & Science, Denver, CO 80205, USA
| | - Conrad C Labandeira
- Department of Entomology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA.,BEES Program, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA.,Department of Paleobiology, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC 20013, USA.,Department of Earth Sciences, Denver Museum of Nature & Science, Denver, CO 80205, USA.,College of Life Sciences, Capital Normal University, Beijing 100048, People's Republic of China
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Johnson LR, Breger B, Drummond F. Novel plant–insect interactions in an urban environment: enemies, protectors, and pollinators of invasive knotweeds. Ecosphere 2019. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.2885] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Lea R. Johnson
- Longwood Gardens, Research and Conservation Division Kennett Square Pennsylvania 19348 USA
- Department of Biology Bates College Lewiston Maine 04240 USA
- Department of Plant Science and Landscape Architecture University of Maryland College Park Maryland 20742 USA
| | - Benjamin Breger
- Department of Biology Bates College Lewiston Maine 04240 USA
| | - Francis Drummond
- School of Biology and Ecology University of Maine Orono Maine 04469 USA
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Giuliani C, Lastrucci L, Cresti L, Santini G, Foggi B, Lippi MM. The morphology and activity of the extrafloral nectaries in Reynoutria × bohemica (Polygonaceae). PLANT BIOLOGY (STUTTGART, GERMANY) 2019; 21:975-985. [PMID: 31062924 DOI: 10.1111/plb.13004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2019] [Accepted: 05/02/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Reynoutria × bohemica is an invasive species causing significant damage to native ecosystems in North America and Europe. In this work, we performed an in-depth micromorphological characterisation of the extrafloral nectaries (EFN), during their secretory and post-secretory phases, in combination with field monitoring of nectary activity over time and the qualitative pool of insect visitors. EFN consist of secretory trichomes and vascularised parenchyma. Polysaccharides, lipids and proteins were histochemically detected in all trichome cells; phenolic substances were detected in parenchyma cells. Our data indicate that all nectary regions are involved in nectar production and release, constituting a functional unit. Moreover, the main compound classes of nectar and their transfer change over time: first, granulocrine secretion for sugars prevails, then eccrine secretion of the lipophilic fraction takes place. Active nectaries are mainly located in the apical portion of the stem during the growth phase (April-May), when we detected the highest number of individuals visited by ants; from mid-August onwards, during flowering, the number of active nectaries declined then ceased production (September), with a concomitant decrease in visits by the ants. The spectrum of nectar-foraging ants mainly included representatives of the genera Formica, Lasius and Camponotus. Reynoutria × bohemica produces an attractive secretion able to recruit local ants that may potentially act as 'bodyguards' for protecting young shoots, reducing secretions during the blooming stage. This defence mechanism against herbivores is the same as that displayed by the parental species in its native areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Giuliani
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - L Lastrucci
- University Museum System, Natural History Museum of the University of Florence, Botany, Florence, Italy
| | - L Cresti
- Department of Biology, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - G Santini
- Department of Biology, University of Florence, Sesto Fiorentino, Florence, Italy
| | - B Foggi
- Department of Biology, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
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Kirmse S, Chaboo CS. Extrafloral nectaries mediate the arboreal beetle community (Coleoptera) in a Neotropical rainforest. J NAT HIST 2019. [DOI: 10.1080/00222933.2019.1650211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Susan Kirmse
- Florida State Collection of Arthropods, Museum of Entomology, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Caroline S. Chaboo
- University of Nebraska State Museum, Systematics Research Collections, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE, USA
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Prior N, Little SA, Boyes I, Griffith P, Husby C, Pirone-Davies C, Stevenson DW, Tomlinson PB, von Aderkas P. Complex reproductive secretions occur in all extant gymnosperm lineages: a proteomic survey of gymnosperm pollination drops. PLANT REPRODUCTION 2019; 32:153-166. [PMID: 30430247 PMCID: PMC6500509 DOI: 10.1007/s00497-018-0348-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2018] [Accepted: 11/09/2018] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Complex protein-containing reproductive secretions are a conserved trait amongst all extant gymnosperms; the pollination drops of most groups include carbohydrate-modifying enzymes and defence proteins. Pollination drops are aqueous secretions that receive pollen and transport it to the ovule interior in gymnosperms (Coniferales, Cycadales, Ginkgoales, Gnetales). Proteins are well established as components of pollination drops in conifers (Coniferales) and Ephedra spp. (Gnetales), but it is unknown whether proteins are also present in the pollination drops of cycads (Cycadales), Ginkgo (Ginkgoales), Gnetum (Gnetales), or in the pollination drops produced by sterile ovules occurring on pollen plants in the Gnetales. We used liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry followed by database-derived protein identification to conduct proteomic surveys of pollination drops collected from: Ceratozamia hildae, Zamia furfuracea and Cycas rumphii (Cycadales); Ginkgo biloba (Ginkgoales); Gnetum gnemon and Welwitschia mirabilis, including pollination drops from both microsporangiate and ovulate plants (Gnetales). We identified proteins in all samples: C. hildae (61), Z. furfuracea (40), C. rumphii (9), G. biloba (57), G. gnemon ovulate (17) and sterile ovules from microsporangiate plants (25) and W. mirabilis fertile ovules (1) and sterile ovules from microsporangiate plants (138). Proteins involved in defence and carbohydrate modification occurred in the drops of most groups, indicating conserved functions for proteins in pollination drops. Our study demonstrates that all extant gymnosperm groups produce complex reproductive secretions containing proteins, an ancient trait that likely contributed to the evolutionary success of seed plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalie Prior
- Centre for Forest Biology, Department of Biology, University of Victoria, Victoria, Canada
| | - Stefan A Little
- Department of Environmental and Plant Biology, Ohio University, Athens, OH, USA
| | - Ian Boyes
- Centre for Forest Biology, Department of Biology, University of Victoria, Victoria, Canada
| | - Patrick Griffith
- Montgomery Botanical Center, 11901 Old Cutler Road, Coral Gables, FL, USA
| | - Chad Husby
- Montgomery Botanical Center, 11901 Old Cutler Road, Coral Gables, FL, USA
| | - Cary Pirone-Davies
- The Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University, 125 Arborway, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - P Barry Tomlinson
- Montgomery Botanical Center, 11901 Old Cutler Road, Coral Gables, FL, USA
| | - Patrick von Aderkas
- Centre for Forest Biology, Department of Biology, University of Victoria, Victoria, Canada.
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Passos FCS, Leal LC. Protein matters: ants remove herbivores more frequently from extrafloral nectary-bearing plants when habitats are protein poor. Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2019. [DOI: 10.1093/biolinnean/blz033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Felipe C S Passos
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Zoologia, Universidade Estadual de Feira de Santana, Feira de Santana, Bahia, Brasil
| | - Laura C Leal
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Zoologia, Universidade Estadual de Feira de Santana, Feira de Santana, Bahia, Brasil
- Departamento de Ecologia e Biologia Evolutiva, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Diadema, São Paulo, Brasil
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Sâmia RR, Gontijo PC, Oliveira RL, Carvalho GA. Sublethal and transgenerational effects of thiamethoxam applied to cotton seed on Chrysoperla externa and Harmonia axyridis. PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE 2019; 75:694-701. [PMID: 30094903 DOI: 10.1002/ps.5166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2018] [Revised: 07/31/2018] [Accepted: 08/03/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Thiamethoxam, when applied as a seed treatment, can contaminate plant products, such as extrafloral nectar, and have non-target effects on beneficial arthropods. This study assessed the non-target effects of thiamethoxam applied to cotton seed on the life history parameters of the predators Chrysoperla externa (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae) and Harmonia axyridis (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae). RESULTS Exposure of C. externa larvae to plants grown from thiamethoxam-treated seeds caused sublethal and transgenerational effects. Thiamethoxam treatment doubled the proportion of pharate adults and reduced egg fertility in C. externa F0 and F1 generations. In addition, the insecticide prolonged pupal developmental time in the C. externa F1 generation. Thiamethoxam treatment also had a transgenerational effect on exposed H. axyridis larvae, reducing pupal survival in the F1 generation. In the adult bioassay, thiamethoxam treatment reduced egg fertility of C. externa, prolonged the larval period, and reduced both fecundity and egg fertility of the F1 generation. Thiamethoxam also caused transgenerational effect on H. axyridis adults, reducing larval survival of the F1 generation. CONCLUSION Thiamethoxam seed treatment was harmful for both predators, but C. externa was more affected by the insecticide than H. axyridis. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rafaella R Sâmia
- Department of Entomology, Federal University of Lavras, Lavras, Brazil
| | - Pablo C Gontijo
- School of Agronomy, Federal University of Goiás, Goiânia, Brazil
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Oliveira RL, Gontijo PC, Sâmia RR, Carvalho GA. Long-term effects of chlorantraniliprole reduced risk insecticide applied as seed treatment on lady beetle Harmonia axyridis (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae). CHEMOSPHERE 2019; 219:678-683. [PMID: 30557724 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2018.12.058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2018] [Revised: 12/06/2018] [Accepted: 12/07/2018] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Chlorantraniliprole (CAP) is a reduced risk insecticide, which used as seed treatment in many crops. However, CAP residues can contaminate pollen and nectar, becoming a potential risk to beneficial arthropods. The aims of this study were to (1) determine the non-target effects of CAP seed treatment of cotton on Harmonia axyridis (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) over two generations, and (2) assess the ability of the lady beetles to avoid plants grown from treated seeds. The exposure of H. axyridis larvae and adults to cotton seedlings grown from CAP treated seeds did not have a significantly affect on any life history parameters of the lady beetles directly exposed (F0). However, CAP caused significant transgenerational effects in the both larval and adult stages of H. axyridis. The CAP treatment of larvae exposure reduced the larval and pupal developmental time and the male body weight of F1 generation as well as the survival of the lady beetles over the developmental stages. In the adult bioassay, CAP seed treatment reduced both pupal developmental time and egg viability of F1 generation and decreased the survival of H. axyridis over the F1 generation developmental. In olfactometer test, only the H. axyridis larvae were able to avoid cotton seedlings grown from CAP treated seeds. The results of this study confirm the hypothesis that systemic insecticides, when applied to seed treatments, can cause negative effects on non-target organisms. In addition, the study emphasizes the importance of long-term assessments of the pesticides side-effects on beneficial arthropods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rodrigo L Oliveira
- Departamento de Entomologia, Universidade Federal de Lavras, Lavras, MG, Brazil
| | - Pablo C Gontijo
- Escola de Agronomia, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Goiânia, GO, 74690-900, Brazil.
| | - Rafaella R Sâmia
- Departamento de Entomologia, Universidade Federal de Lavras, Lavras, MG, Brazil
| | - Geraldo A Carvalho
- Departamento de Entomologia, Universidade Federal de Lavras, Lavras, MG, Brazil
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Pacelhe FT, Costa FV, Neves FS, Bronstein J, Mello MAR. Nectar quality affects ant aggressiveness and biotic defense provided to plants. Biotropica 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/btp.12625] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Fábio T. Pacelhe
- Graduate School in Ecology, Conservation and Wildlife Management; Federal University of Minas Gerais; Belo Horizonte Brazil
| | - Fernanda V. Costa
- Graduate School in Ecology of Tropical Biomes; Federal University of Ouro Preto; Ouro Preto Brazil
| | - Frederico S. Neves
- Graduate School in Ecology, Conservation and Wildlife Management; Federal University of Minas Gerais; Belo Horizonte Brazil
- Department of Biological Sciences; George Washington University; Washington District of Columbia
| | - Judith Bronstein
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology; University of Arizona; Tucson Arizona
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von Aderkas P, Prior NA, Little SA. The Evolution of Sexual Fluids in Gymnosperms From Pollination Drops to Nectar. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2018; 9:1844. [PMID: 30619413 PMCID: PMC6305574 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2018.01844] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2018] [Accepted: 11/28/2018] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
A current synthesis of data from modern and fossil plants paints a new picture of sexual fluids, including nectar, as a foundational component of gymnosperm reproductive evolution. We review the morpho-anatomical adaptations, their accompanying secretions, and the functional compounds involved. We discuss two types of secretions: (1) those involved in fertilization fluids produced by gametophytes and archegonia of zooidogamous gymnosperms, i.e., Ginkgo and cycads, and (2) those involved in pollen capture mechanisms (PCMs), i.e., pollination drops. Fertilization fluids provide both liquid in which sperm swim, as well as chemotactic signals that direct sperm to the egg. Such fertilization fluids were probably found among many extinct plants such as ancient cycads and others with swimming sperm, but were subsequently lost upon the evolution of siphonogamy (direct delivery of sperm to the egg by pollen tubes), as found in modern gnetophytes, conifers, and Pinaceae. Pollination drops are discussed in terms of three major types of PCMs and the unique combinations of morphological and biochemical adaptations that define each. These include their amino acids, sugars, calcium, phosphate and proteins. The evolution of PCMs is also discussed with reference to fossil taxa. The plesiomorphic state of extant gymnosperms is a sugar-containing pollination drop functioning as a pollen capture surface, and an in ovulo pollen germination medium. Additionally, these drops are involved in ovule defense, and provide nectar for pollinators. Pollination drops in anemophilous groups have low sugar concentrations that are too low to provide insects with a reward. Instead, they appear to be optimized for defense and microgametophyte development. In insect-pollinated modern Gnetales a variety of tissues produce sexual fluids that bear the biochemical signature of nectar. Complete absence of fluid secretions is restricted to a few, poorly studied modern conifers, and is presumably derived. Aspects of pollination drop dynamics, e.g., regulation of secretion and retraction, are reviewed. Lastly, we discuss pollination drops' control of pollen germination. Large gaps in our current knowledge include the composition of fertilization fluids, the pollination drops of Podocarpaceae, and the overall hydrodynamics of sexual fluids in general.
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Santos ATF, Leal LC. My plant, my rules: bodyguard ants of plants with extrafloral nectaries affect patterns of pollinator visits but not pollination success. Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2018. [DOI: 10.1093/biolinnean/bly165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Anna Thiciane F Santos
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Ecologia e Evolução, Universidade Estadual de Feira de Santana, Bahia, Brazil
| | - Laura C Leal
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Ecologia e Evolução, Universidade Estadual de Feira de Santana, Bahia, Brazil
- Departamento de Ecologia e Biologia Evolutiva, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Diadema, Brazil
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Nepi M, Grasso DA, Mancuso S. Nectar in Plant-Insect Mutualistic Relationships: From Food Reward to Partner Manipulation. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2018; 9:1063. [PMID: 30073014 PMCID: PMC6060274 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2018.01063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2018] [Accepted: 06/29/2018] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
It has been known for centuries that floral and extra-floral nectar secreted by plants attracts and rewards animals. Extra-floral nectar is involved in so-called indirect defense by attracting animals (generally ants) that prey on herbivores, or by discouraging herbivores from feeding on the plant. Floral nectar is presented inside the flower close to the reproductive organs and rewards animals that perform pollination while visiting the flower. In both cases nectar is a source of carbon and nitrogen compounds that feed animals, the most abundant solutes being sugars and amino acids. Plant-animal relationships involving the two types of nectar have therefore been used for a long time as text-book examples of symmetric mutualism: services provided by animals to plants in exchange for food provided by plants to animals. Cheating (or deception or exploitation), namely obtaining the reward/service without returning any counterpart, is however, well-known in mutualistic relationships, since the interacting partners have conflicting interests and selection may favor cheating strategies. A more subtle way of exploiting mutualism was recently highlighted. It implies the evolution of strategies to maximize the benefits obtained by one partner while still providing the reward/service to the other partner. Several substances other than sugars and amino acids have been found in nectar and some affect the foraging behavior of insects and potentially increase the benefits to the plant. Such substances can be considered plant cues to exploit mutualism. Recent evidence motivated some authors to use the term "manipulation" of animals by plants in nectar-mediated mutualistic relationships. This review highlights the recent background of the "manipulation" hypothesis, discussing it in the framework of new ecological and evolutionary scenarios in plant-animal interactions, as a stimulus for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Massimo Nepi
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Donato A. Grasso
- Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Stefano Mancuso
- Department of Agrifood Production and Environmental Sciences, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
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Melati BG, Leal LC. Aggressive bodyguards are not always the best: Preferential interaction with more aggressive ant species reduces reproductive success of plant bearing extrafloral nectaries. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0199764. [PMID: 29949639 PMCID: PMC6021078 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0199764] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2018] [Accepted: 06/13/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Variation in partner species and frequency of interaction between species pairs are potential drivers of the net outcome of generalized mutualisms. In ant-plant mutualisms, the quality of defence provided by ants is related to ant aggressiveness. Hence, we hypothesize that the performance of plants bearing extrafloral nectaries will be higher when they interact more frequently with more aggressive ant species. We estimated ant aggressiveness in the field by observing their behaviour towards soil baits. Afterwards, we observed the frequency with which individuals from these ant species visited plants through an entire reproductive cycle. We measured the production and persistence of plants reproductive structures through this period and the total seed production. Increasing in the interaction frequency with highly aggressive ants reduced the number of floral buds and seeds produced. Increased visitation frequency by less aggressive ants increased the number of floral buds and seeds per branch. The inverse relationship between ant aggressiveness and seed production may be influenced by the costs imposed by different mutualistic partners. Thus, frequent interaction with highly aggressive ants may lead to a higher accumulation of costs through time, resulting in a negative net outcome for the plants. Our results bring new evidence highlighting the importance to incorporate temporal aspects in the study of mutualistic interactions. We suggests that the quality of mutualistic partners must be understood as a function of its per-interaction benefit and their cumulative costs to their partner over time, what puts in check our current classification regarding partner quality in mutualistic systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruno Gabriel Melati
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Ecologia e Evolução, Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Estadual de Feira de Santana, Novo Horizonte, Bahia, Brazil
| | - Laura Carolina Leal
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Ecologia e Evolução, Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Estadual de Feira de Santana, Novo Horizonte, Bahia, Brazil
- Departamento de Ecologia e Biologia Evolutiva, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Diadema, São Paulo, Brazil
- * E-mail:
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Nogueira FCS, Farias ARB, Teixeira FM, Domont GB, Campos FAP. Common Features Between the Proteomes of Floral and Extrafloral Nectar From the Castor Plant ( Ricinus Communis) and the Proteomes of Exudates From Carnivorous Plants. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2018; 9:549. [PMID: 29755492 PMCID: PMC5934526 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2018.00549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2018] [Accepted: 04/09/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Label-free quantitative proteome analysis of extrafloral (EFN) and floral nectar (FN) from castor (Ricinus communis) plants resulted in the identification of 72 and 37 proteins, respectively. Thirty proteins were differentially accumulated between EFN and FN, and 24 of these were more abundant in the EFN. In addition to proteins involved in maintaining the nectar pathogen free such as chitinases and glucan 1,3-beta-glucosidase, both proteomes share an array of peptidases, lipases, carbohydrases, and nucleases. A total of 39 of the identified proteins, comprising different classes of hydrolases, were found to have biochemical matching partners in the exudates of at least five genera of carnivorous plants, indicating the EFN and FN possess a potential to digest biological material from microbial, animal or plant origin equivalent to the exudates of carnivorous plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fábio C. S. Nogueira
- Proteomics Unit, PPGBq, Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Chemistry, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Laboratory of Proteomics, LADETEC, Institute of Chemistry, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Andreza R. B. Farias
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, Brazil
| | - Fabiano M. Teixeira
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, Brazil
| | - Gilberto B. Domont
- Proteomics Unit, PPGBq, Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Chemistry, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Francisco A. P. Campos
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, Brazil
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Ribeiro LF, Solar RRC, Muscardi DC, Schoereder JH, Andersen AN. Extrafloral nectar as a driver of arboreal ant communities at the site-scale in Brazilian savanna. AUSTRAL ECOL 2018. [DOI: 10.1111/aec.12612] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Laila Fieto Ribeiro
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Entomologia; Universidade Federal de Viçosa; Avenida P.H. Rolfs, s/n, Campus Universitário CEP 36570-000 Viçosa MG Brazil
| | - Ricardo R. C. Solar
- Departamento de Biologia Geral; Instituto de Ciências Biológicas; Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais; Belo Horizonte MG Brazil
| | - Dalana C. Muscardi
- Departamento de Ciências Agrárias e Biológicas; Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo; São Mateus ES Brazil
| | - José H. Schoereder
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Entomologia; Universidade Federal de Viçosa; Avenida P.H. Rolfs, s/n, Campus Universitário CEP 36570-000 Viçosa MG Brazil
| | - Alan N. Andersen
- Research School for the Environment and Livelihoods; Charles Darwin University; Darwin Northern Territory Australia
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Abstract
Ekebergia capensis is a medium-sized to large evergreen to deciduous tree ranging from southern Africa to Ethiopia. Two morphologically-distinct variants of E. capensis, southern and northern, may be recognized in southern Africa. Despite its wide distribution range there appear to be no published reports on the secretory structures occurring on the leaves. In very young leaves, colleters on the petiolules, adjacent portions of the rachis and the midrib of the adaxial leaflet surfaces, secrete fluid which at least partly covers these developing areas. This is the first record of colleters in Meliaceae. In addition, several extrafloral nectaries (EFNs) are found in variable positions on the abaxial side of the leaflets. No stomata are associated with the EFNs. The glandular tissue of active EFNs is surrounded by druse crystals of calcium oxalate and consists of secretory cells some of whose walls are separated by "strands" of amorphous lipophilic material, especially in a radial orientation. EFNs on developing leaves are inconspicuous but with time, frequently become more easily visible due to the accumulation of pinkish/reddish anthocyanins. Even on senescent leaves, shed in autumn, large droplets of nectar are frequently visible on the EFNs. The secretory tissue originates from protoderm and ground tissues. Slight differences in abundance, size, shape, position and structure exist between the EFNs of the southern and northern forms. Varying proportions of glucose, fructose and sucrose were detected in the rather viscous nectar with the most abundant sugar usually being fructose. Ants were only rarely observed feeding on the nectar. This finding is in conflict with the generally accepted idea that EFNs provide food for ants which in turn protect the plant from herbivores. More detailed studies of the chemistry of the nectar, which is relatively copious, may provide clues as to the function.
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Aranda-Rickert A, Rothen C, Diez P, González AM, Marazzi B. Sugary secretions of wasp galls: a want-to-be extrafloral nectar? ANNALS OF BOTANY 2017; 120:765-774. [PMID: 28673028 PMCID: PMC5714234 DOI: 10.1093/aob/mcx075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2016] [Revised: 05/05/2017] [Accepted: 05/16/2017] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS The most widespread form of protective mutualisms is represented by plants bearing extrafloral nectaries (EFNs) that attract ants and other arthropods for indirect defence. Another, but less common, form of sugary secretion for indirect defence occurs in galls induced by cynipid wasps. Until now, such galls have been reported only for cynipid wasps that infest oak trees in the northern hemisphere. This study provides the first evidence of galls that exude sugary secretions in the southern hemisphere and asks whether they can be considered as analogues of plants' EFNs. METHODS The ecology and anatomy of galls and the chemical composition of the secretion were investigated in north-western Argentina, in natural populations of the host trees Prosopis chilensis and P. flexuosa . To examine whether ants protect the galls from natural enemies, ant exclusion experiments were conducted in the field. KEY RESULTS The galls produce large amounts of sucrose-rich, nectar-like secretions. No typical nectary and sub-nectary parenchymatic tissues or secretory trichomes can be observed; instead there is a dense vascularization with phloem elements reaching the gall periphery. At least six species of ants, but also vespid wasps, Diptera and Coleoptera, consumed the gall secretions. The ant exclusion experiment showed that when ants tended galls, no differences were found in the rate of successful emergence of gall wasps or in the rate of parasitism and inquiline infestation compared with ant-excluded galls. CONCLUSIONS The gall sugary secretion is not analogous to extrafloral nectar because no nectar-producing structure is associated with it, but is functionally equivalent to arthropod honeydew because it provides indirect defence to the plant parasite. As in other facultative mutualisms mediated by sugary secretions, the gall secretion triggers a complex multispecies interaction, in which the outcome of individual pair-wise interactions depends on the ecological context in which they take place.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adriana Aranda-Rickert
- Centro Regional de Investigaciones Científicas y Transferencia Tecnológica de La Rioja (CRILAR), Provincia de La Rioja, UNLaR, SEGEMAR, UNCa, CONICET, Entre Ríos y Mendoza s/n, CP 5301, Anillaco, La Rioja, Argentina
- For correspondence. E-mail
| | - Carolina Rothen
- Centro Regional de Investigaciones Científicas y Transferencia Tecnológica de La Rioja (CRILAR), Provincia de La Rioja, UNLaR, SEGEMAR, UNCa, CONICET, Entre Ríos y Mendoza s/n, CP 5301, Anillaco, La Rioja, Argentina
| | - Patricia Diez
- Centro de Investigaciones y Transferencia de Catamarca (CITCA), CONICET, UNCa, Prado 366, CP 4700, SFV de Catamarca, Catamarca, Argentina
| | - Ana María González
- Instituto de Botánica del Nordeste (IBONE), UNNE-CONICET. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias, Sto. Cabral 2131, CP 3400, Corrientes, Argentina
| | - Brigitte Marazzi
- Natural Hisotry Museum of Canton Ticino, Viale C. Cattaneo 4, 6900 Lugano, Switzerland
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