Insects associated with syconia of Ficus citrifolia (Moraceae) in central Brazil

Costa, Priscila Canesqui da; Graciolli, Gustavo

doi:10.1590/s0085-56262010000400026

Cited by 3 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 25 publications

(28 reference statements)

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…In comparison with studies in the southeast and centre-west of Brazil, it was found that the wasp fauna associated with Amazonian fig trees is more diverse. The wasp community in F. citrifolia in this study comprised 29 species, while in Mato Gross do Sul (Costa and Graciolli 2010), São Paulo and Londrina (Pereira et al 2000), 12 and 15 species were registered respectively. The same was confirmed for F. americana subspecies guianensis form mathewsii which here contained 22 species in comparison with those in the study by Conchou et al (2013) in French Guiana, with just six species.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 52%

“…Among the non-pollinating wasps, Idarnes is commonly regarded as the most abundant and diverse in Central and South America (West and Herre 1994;Elias et al 2007;Costa and Graciolli 2010). In the case of Idarnes (carme group) (cleptoparasites), success in exploiting the mutualism is evidenced partly by the fact that the species in this group oviposits during phase C -the plant's interfloral phase (Murussich and Machado 2007;Elias et al 2008).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…At the end of this time, the insects were killed by freezing, and subsequently a solution of 70% alcohol was added to the flasks, where the specimens were kept with their respective syconia before sorting (Costa and Graciolli 2010). The wasps that emerged from the syconia were sorted with the help of a stereoscopic magnifier ( Nikon SMZ 645, Tokyo, Japan) and microscope (Primo Star; Carl Zeiss Microimaging, Jena, Germany), and identified at the level of morphospecies using Bouček´s key for fig wasps of the New World (Bouček 1988;1993;Farache et al 2013).…”

Section: Amazonicamentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Composition and structure of the fig wasp community in Amazonia

et al. 2015

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

An understanding of the complex ecological interaction between fig wasps and their host plants in Amazonia requires previous knowledge of their distribution and diversity. The objective of this study was to describe the composition and structure of the wasp community associated with four species of Ficus in the municipal area of Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil. A total of 600 syconia from four species were collected. The study species were: Ficus obtusifolia Kunth; Ficus citrifolia Mill; F. americana subspecies guianensis Desv. form mathewsii; and F. americana subspecies guianensis Desv. form parkeriana. Statistical analyses were used to examine the relationship between fig wasp diversity and syconium diameter, and the effect of non-pollinating wasps on numbers of pollinators and seeds. Forty three species of fig wasp were identified, distributed across seven genera (Pegoscapus, Idarnes, Aepocerus, Physothorax, Anidarnes, Heterandrium , Eurytoma). Idarnes (carme group) was the wasps genus non-pollinator with greatest number of individuals with the greatest number of infested syconia (7409 wasps in 376 syconia). Analysing non-pollinating wasp diversity in relation to fig diameter, a significant difference was observed between the four fig species. Ficus citrifolia and F. americana subspecies guianensis form mathewsii had the smallest diameter but the greatest diversity of fig wasp. Ficus obtusifolia was the only species in which the non-pollinating wasps had a significant negative effect on the number of Pegoscapus sp. and on seed production.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 52%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Amazonicamentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Composition and structure of the fig wasp community in Amazonia

et al. 2015

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

Rising temperatures threaten pollinators of fig trees—Keystone resources of tropical forests

Kolfschoten

Dück

Lind

et al. 2022

Ecology and Evolution

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Pollinating insects are decreasing worldwide in abundance, biomass, and species richness, affecting the plants that rely on pollinators for fruit production and seed set. Insects are often sensitive to high temperatures. The projected temperature increases may therefore severely affect plants that rely on insect pollinators. Highly specialized mutualisms are expected to be particularly vulnerable to change because they have fewer partner options should one partner become unavailable. In the highly specialized mutualism between fig trees and their pollinating fig wasp, each fig species is pollinated by only one or a few wasp species. Because of their year‐round fruit production, fig trees are considered a keystone resource for tropical forests. However, to produce fruits, wild fig trees need to be pollinated by fig wasps that typically travel a long one‐way trip from the tree donating pollen to the tree receiving pollen. In a few previous studies from China and Australia, increasing temperatures dramatically decreased fig wasp lifespan. Are these grim results generalizable to fig mutualisms globally? Here, we use survival experiments to determine the effect of increasing temperature on the lifespan of Neotropical fig wasps associated with five common Panamanian Ficus species. Experimental temperatures were based on the current daytime mean temperature of 26.8°C (2SD: 21.6–31.7°C) and the predicted local temperature increase of 1–4°C by the end of the 21st century. We found that all tested pollinator wasp species had a significantly shorter lifespan in 30, 32, 34, and 36°C compared to the current diurnal mean temperature of 26°C. At 36°C pollinator median lifespan decreased to merely 2–10 h (6%–19% of their median lifespan at 26°C). Unless wasps can adapt, such a dramatic reduction in lifespan is expected to reduce the number of pollinators that successfully disperse to flowering fig trees, and may therefore jeopardize both fruit set and eventually survival of the mutualism.

show abstract