Myrmecochory

The myrmecochory ( ants spread ), also Myrmecochorie or Myrmechorie (from Greek μύρμηξ, μύρμηκος, ( Myrmex, genitive: mýrmēkos ) " ant " and χωρεῖν ( chōrein ) " spread ") is a mechanism of propagation of plants, the ants for the transport diaspores ( fruits, seeds or spores) served. Many spring flowering rely on this propagation mechanism. The myrmecochory is a subtype of Zoochorie, which often occurs in connection with other propagation strategies. Many violets and pansies use the Ballochorie, the explosive spread of seeds, first and trust that ants carry their seeds further away.

The myrmecochory is widespread especially among herbaceous forest plants in the northern hemisphere, but also occurs in the tropics. Over 3000 plant species are known to make use of this form of distribution. The myrmekochoren plants include the snowdrop, the liverworts, the celandine and the pheasant's eye. The wild strawberry is partially myrmekochor spread, it offers the ants their sweet fleshy flowers become floors that you "berry " known as earth, in which the nutlets are embedded.

Elaiosomes

The diasporas of myrmekochoren plants have a nutrient-rich appendage, a Elaiosom than Lock and Nährkörper. The Elaiosom is intended solely for consumption. Ants delay the diasporas because of their Elaiosom appendages in their construction and disconnect there the Elaiosom of the diaspore. What happens next depends upon the nature of the ant and diaspore. The seeds of the palisade spurge, for example, offer after eroding the Elaiosoms for small ant species no point of attack for the removal and remain in the nest. The seeds of the Holly Cross mandrel on the other hand have " handles " and can therefore be easily transported out of the nest. In many cases, the ants deposit the seeds as waste in the immediate vicinity of the nest on a " dump ". The advantage of such means of dispersal is both a well- fertilized and protected seed space, on the other hand, the semen is the eroding of Elaiosoms usually violated, thus facilitating germination.

Ingredients of elaiosomes

Elaiosomes of Myrmekochoren (plants, the ants to spread their seeds use ) in particular contain fats and sugar, and sometimes vitamin B, vitamin C, starch and protein, which is particularly significant for sugar ants. Fischer et al pointed out that the elaiosomes have particularly nährhafte ingredients for ants. Several authors showed in elaiosomes oil acids, especially animate the ants to collect. Thus, for example, showed Bresinsky that elaiosomes some plants contain ricinoleic acid, which could also be detected in ant larvae of the Black Shiny wood ant. Brezinsky was able to show in an attempt to make these volatile substance in workers of the Black Shiny wood ant a true collector's instinct triggers: ricinoleic acid -soaked chips were zealously carried into the nest. The Elaiosom of Fragrant violet contains 1,2- diolein, which in the ant Aphaenogaster rudis similar behavior triggers.

Seed dispersal

Marked with elaiosomes seeds and fruits are dispersed across great distances. Sernander watched the abduction of a seed to the distance of 70 m. He calculated that a state of the Red Wood Ant disseminated annually 36,000 seeds. Much more disappearances were observed by Whitney in Australia. However, the ant Iridomyrmex viridiaeneus abducted acacia seeds up to 180 m, averaging 94 m.

Influence of myrmecochory on ecosystems

How sensitive are ecosystems in relation to myrmecochory, demonstrated by the invasion of the Argentine ant Linepithema humile in North America and South Africa, where it displaces native ant species. Carney, Byerley and Holway report that the spread of the relatively large seeds of myrmekochoren poppy crop Dendromecon rigida is severely affected near the coast of San Diego, as the Argentine ant the seeds do not spread, but the native ant species Pogonomyrmex subnitidus that so far the spread of seeds had taken over, has pushed back. Reports a similar Christian from South Africa: the plant communities of the bushveld be changed because the large seeds are not spread by the Argentine ant.

History of development

After Bresinsky derives the anthropological myrmecochory of the Ornithochorie, the spread of seeds by birds from. Originally developed plants in the tropical forests of large elaiosomes, the birds should encourage the dissemination of seeds. The adaptation of plants to the temperate zone required a strong reduction of the reproductive parts of the plant. However, in order Ornithochorie was impossible and ants took over the distribution.

Myrmecochory and stick insects

The eggs of some stick insects resemble in a striking manner with seeds elaiosomes. The eggs developed analogous to elaiosomes called capitula, the ants have on the same attraction. The South African Stick Insect Phalces coccyx often occurs in the Heathland the Eastern Cape Province, prevail in the myrmekochore plants. Ants do not distinguish between elaiosomes and capitula and bear seeds and eggs in the same way to their nests, where the capitula are the same as the elaiosomes eaten without damaging the eggs.