Mutualism: Ants and their Insect Partners

✍ Scribed by Bernhard Stadler, Anthony F. G. Dixon

• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• Year: 2008
• Tongue: English
• Leaves: 229
• Edition: 1
• Category: Library

✦ Synopsis

A mutualism is an interaction between individuals of two different species of organism in which both benefit from the association. With a focus on mutualisms between ants and aphids, coccids, membracids and lycaenids, this volume provides a detailed account of the many different facets of mutualisms. Mutualistic interactions not only affect the two partners, but can also have consequences for higher levels of organization. By linking theory to case studies, the authors present an integrated account of processes and patterns of mutualistic interactions at different levels of organisation, from individuals to communities to ecosystems. Interactions between ants and their insect partners and their outcomes are explained from a resource-based, cost-benefit perspective. Covering a fascinating and growing subject in modern ecology, this book will be of interest to community and evolutionary ecologists and entomologists, at both research and graduate student level.

✦ Table of Contents

Cover......Page 1
Half-title......Page 3
Title......Page 5
Copyright......Page 6
Contents......Page 7
Preface......Page 9
1 The scope of the problem......Page 11
2 Historical perspective......Page 19
3.1 Theories on co-operation......Page 24
3.2 The predictions......Page 31
3.3 Models......Page 32
3.3.1 Lotka–Volterra type models; functional response models......Page 34
3.3.2 Life-history models......Page 45
3.3.3 Metapopulation models......Page 53
4.1 Phylogeny and feeding ecology......Page 67
4.2.1 Ants......Page 75
4.2.2 Aphids......Page 77
4.2.3 Coccids......Page 79
4.2.4 Membracids......Page 83
4.2.5 Lycaenids......Page 89
4.3 Emerging patterns in the distribution of outcomes......Page 93
4.3.1 Phylogeny......Page 94
4.3.3 Ecology......Page 95
5.1 Features associated with ant attendance......Page 99
5.2 Cost–benefit perspective......Page 101
5.3 The effects of ants on life-history characteristics and fitness......Page 108
5.4 Specialization and coevolution......Page 110
6.1.1 Bottom-up and top-down forces......Page 117
6.1.2 Plant chemical defence......Page 122
6.1.3 Host plant heterogeneity......Page 124
6.2.1 Seasonal dynamics and density dependence......Page 128
6.3 Dispersal......Page 133
6.4 Community effects......Page 143
6.5 Metamutualism......Page 153
6.5.1 Experimental evidence for metamutualism......Page 163
6.5.2 Examples of multiple mutualistic interactions......Page 171
6.5.3 Extrafloral nectaries......Page 177
6.5.4 General conclusions......Page 181
7 Prospects and conclusions......Page 185
7.1 Life-history level......Page 186
7.2 Population level......Page 187
7.3 Community level......Page 189
7.4 Ecosystem level......Page 191
7.5 Conclusions......Page 192
References......Page 194
Insects......Page 222
Subject index......Page 225