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Phylogenetic signal in leaf-cutting ant diet in the fragmented Atlantic rain forest

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 March 2019

Pille Gerhold ,
Elâine M. S. Ribeiro ,
Bráulio A. Santos ,
Joosep Sarapuu ,
Marcelo Tabarelli ,
Rainer Wirth  and
Inara R. Leal
Pille Gerhold*
Affiliation:
Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
Elâine M. S. Ribeiro
Affiliation:
University of Pernambuco, Campus Petrolina, Petrolina, Brazil
Bráulio A. Santos
Affiliation:
Department of Systematics and Ecology, Federal University of Paraíba, João Pessoa, Brazil
Joosep Sarapuu
Affiliation:
Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
Marcelo Tabarelli
Affiliation:
Department of Botany, Federal University of Pernambuco, Recife, Brazil
Rainer Wirth
Affiliation:
Department of Plant Ecology and Systematics, University of Kaiserslautern, Kaiserslautern, Germany
Inara R. Leal
Affiliation:
Department of Botany, Federal University of Pernambuco, Recife, Brazil
*
*Email: pille.gerhold@ut.ee
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Abstract

Leaf-cutting ants are dominant herbivores in Neotropical rain forests, and their colony densities increase in disturbed habitats such as forest edges. However, while it is well-established that leaf-cutting ants profit from changes to the food-plant community, the phylogenetic dimension of this ant–plant interaction remains poorly understood in fragmented forests. We studied diet composition of Atta cephalotes in the edge and interior of Atlantic forest in north-east Brazil (8°30′S, 35°50′W). We applied phylogenetic signal analysis to investigate the diet across plant lineages and performed phylogenetic generalized linear models to analyse the diet in both habitats. We found a phylogenetic signal in diet and in leaf mechanical resistance, which means that A. cephalotes selects closely related food plants with less resistant leaves. Most preferred species belong to Malpighiales, Rubiaceae and Melastomataceae. We also found that irrespective of phylogeny, ants select food plants with less resistant leaves, both in edge and interior. However, ants choose more abundant plants only in edges. High abundance of optimal diet facilitates foraging in forest edges and explains why colony densities increase in disturbed habitats. Finally, by favouring or disfavouring specific clades, leaf-cutting ants contribute to changes in the phylogenetic structure of tropical rain forests, e.g. phylogenetic impoverishment.

Keywords

Anthropogenic disturbanceBraziledge habitatsforagingherbivoryleaf mechanical resistanceNeotropicsphylogenetic impoverishmentpioneerssecondary forest
Type
Short Communication
Information
Journal of Tropical Ecology , Volume 35 , Issue 3 , May 2019 , pp. 144 - 147
Copyright
© Cambridge University Press 2019 

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