#ant plants

[sh0wk0]

Hydnophytum Papuanum

[moonkheperer]

Photographed on September 29, 2016.

Dischidia platyphylla 

[indefenseofplants]

Fern Ant Farm

An epiphytic lifestyle is no walk in the park. Baking sun, drying winds, and a lack of soil are the norm. As a result epiphytic plants exhibit numerous adaptations for retaining water and obtaining nutrients. One of the most interesting adaptations to this lifestyle can be seen in plants that have struct up a relationship with ants.

One of the coolest examples of this can be seen in a genus of epiphytic ferns called Lecanopteris. Native to Southeast Asia and New Guinea, their unique look is equally matched by their unique ecology. Using a highly modified rhizome, they are able to latch on to the branch of a tree. In species such as Lecanopteris mirabilis (pictured here), it's as if the fronds are emerging from a strange green amoeba.

It's whats going on underneath their strange rhizomes that makes this group so fascinating. These ferns literally grow ant farms. Chambers and middens entice colonies of ants to set up shop. In return for a home, the ants provide protection. Anything looking to take a bite out of a frond must contend with an army of angry ants. What's more, the ants provide valuable nutrients in the form of waste and other detritus.

These are by no means the only plants to have evolved a relationship of this sort. Myriad plant species utilize ants for protection, nutrient acquisition, and seed dispersal. It has even been suggested that the unique morphology of Lecanopteris spores is an adaptation for ant dispersal. Certainly one can imagine how that would come into play. Interestingly enough, this group of ferns has attracted the attention of plant enthusiasts looking for a unique plant to grow in their home. As such, you can now find many different species of Lecanopteris being cultivated for the horticultural trade.

Photo Credit: Ch'ien C. Lee (www.wildborneo.com.my/photo.php?f=cld1505721.jpg)

Further Reading: http://bit.ly/1UdezsK

http://bit.ly/1sW4c6V

http://bit.ly/25uvuCx

http://bit.ly/22tcmj5

[indefenseofplants]

Orchid Ant Farms

I am beginning to think that there is no strategy for survival that is off-limits to the orchid family. Yes, as you may have figured out by now, I am a bit obsessed with these plants. Can you really blame me though? Take for instance Schomburgkia tibicinis (though you may also see it listed under the genera Laelia or more accurately, Myrmecophila). These North, Central, and South American orchids are more commonly referred to as cow-horn orchids because they possess hollow pseudobulbs that have been said to been used by children as toy horns. What is the point of these hollow pseudobulbs?

A paper published back in 1989 in the American Journal of Botany found the answer to that question. As it turns out, ants are quite closely associated with orchids in this genus. They crawl all over the flowers, feeding on nectar. The relationship goes much deeper though. If you were to cut open one of these hollow pseudobulbs, you would find ant colonies living within them. The ants nest inside and often pile up great stores of food and eventually waste within these chambers. The walls of the chambers are lined with a dark tissue that was suspect to researchers.

Using radioactively labeled ants, the researchers found that the orchids were actually taking up nutrients from the ant middens! What's more, nutrients weren't found solely in adjacent tissues but also far away, in the actively growing parts of the roots. These orchids are not only absorbing nutrients from the ants but also translocating it to growing tissues.

While orchids without a resident ant colony seem to do okay, it is believed that orchids with a resident ant colony do ever so slightly better. This makes sense. These orchids grow as epiphytes on trees, a niche that is not high in nutrients. Any additional sources of nutrients these plants can get will undoubtedly aid in their long-term survival. Also, because the ants use the orchids as a food source and a nest site, they are likely defending them from herbivores.

Photo Credit: Scott.Zona (http://bit.ly/1hvWiGX)

Further Reading: http://www.jstor.org/stable/2444355

[sciencetoastudent]

Friday, March 21, 2014 - 2:00pm - 4:00pm

Life Gallery - Naturalist Lab

The American Pika with Johanna Varner 

Meet University of Utah biologist Johanna Vaner and discover how our changing climate is affecting the adorable American Pika. Look at vegetation survey tools and traps that are used in the field to study pikas. Check out pika scat and skin samples. Visitors can also try their hand at locating pikas in rock slides. 

Included in Museum Admission

  Ant Plants with Georgia Sinimbu

Meet University of Utah biologist Georgia Sinimbu and learn about her work in tropical forests, which explores the delicate relationship between ants and plants. See a collection of amazing ants from the Amazon. Learn about animal and plant interactions in tropical forests and discover the experiments Georgia uses in the field.

Included in Museum Admission