Wang, R, Segar, ST, Harper, M et al. (3 more authors) (2015) Between-species facilitation by male fig wasps in shared figs. Ecological Entomology, 40 (4). pp. 428-436. ISSN 0307-6946
Abstract
1. Facilitation is recorded from diverse plant-insect interactions, including pollination and herbivory. 2. The significance of facilitation resulting from the behavior of males of multiple fig wasp species inside figs was investigated. Female fig wasps emerge from natal figs via exit holes dug by males, especially male pollinators. When no males are present, the females struggle to escape and may die. 3. Ficus microcarpa L. is a widely-established invasive fig tree from Southeast Asia. Its pollinator is absent in South Africa, so the tree cannot reproduce, but two Asian non-pollinating fig wasps (NPFW) Walkerella microcarpae and Odontofroggatia galili occupy its figs. Abundance patterns of the two NPFW and the proportion of male-free figs in South Africa, Spain (where the pollinator is introduced), and in China, where the native fig wasp community is diverse, were compared to determine the consequences of reduced species richness for insect survival. 4. Female fig wasps in male-free figs were found to be trapped, and small clutch sizes contributed to the absence of males in both species. The presence of pollinators in Spain allowed most NPFW to develop in figs containing males. Far more male-free figs were present in South Africa, elevating mortality rates among female NPFW. Facilitation of female release by males of other NPFW species nonetheless benefitted the rarer species. 5. Selection pressures in South Africa currently favour greater aggregation of NPFW offspring and/or less female biased sex ratios.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | (c) 2015, Wiley. This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: Wang, R, Segar, ST, Harper, M et al. (3 more authors) (2015) Between-species facilitation by male fig wasps in shared figs. Ecological Entomology, 40 (4). pp. 428-436 , which has been published in final form at https://dx.doi.org/10.1111/een.12201. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Self-Archiving. |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of Leeds |
Academic Units: | The University of Leeds > Faculty of Biological Sciences (Leeds) > School of Biology (Leeds) |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Publications |
Date Deposited: | 31 Aug 2017 14:48 |
Last Modified: | 21 Jan 2018 11:05 |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | Wiley |
Identification Number: | 10.1111/een.12201 |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:115320 |