Ant-cultivated Chaetothyriales in hollow stems of myrmecophytic Cecropia sp. trees – diversity and patterns

Maximilian Nepel; Hermann Voglmayr; Rumsais Blatrix; John T. Longino; Konrad Fiedler; Jürg Schönenberger; Veronika Mayer

doi:10.1016/j.funeco.2016.07.007

Ant-cultivated Chaetothyriales in hollow stems of myrmecophytic Cecropia sp. trees – diversity and patterns

Maximilian Nepel
, Hermann Voglmayr
, Rumsais Blatrix
, John T. Longino
, Konrad Fiedler
, Jürg Schönenberger
, Veronika Mayer

Department of Botany and Biodiversity Research

Publications: Contribution to journal › Article › Peer Reviewed

Abstract

Five Cecropia tree species occupied by four Azteca ant species from Costa Rica and French Guiana were investigated to assess the diversity and host specificity of chaetothyrialean fungal symbionts. The ITS rDNA region of the symbiotic fungi was sequenced either from pure culture isolation, or from environmental samples obtained from ant colonies nesting in hollow stems of the Cecropia host plants. The investigation revealed six closely related OTUs of Chaetothyriales. Neither the four Azteca species nor the six fungal OTUs were associated with specific Cecropia species. In contrast, ants and fungi showed an association. Azteca alfari was associated with a particular OTU, and often contained only one. Azteca coeruleipennis, Azteca constructor and Azteca xanthochroa were associated with a different set of OTUs and often had multiple OTUs within colonies. Possible reasons for these differences and the role of the fungi for the Azteca-Cecropia symbiosis are discussed.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	131-140
Number of pages	10
Journal	Fungal Ecology
Volume	23
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.funeco.2016.07.007
Publication status	Published - Oct 2016

Funding

We cordially thank the staff at the Estacion Tropical La Gamba and Marvin Hidalgo from the Biological Station Monteverde for the excellent working conditions and their help. The Faculty of Life Sciences from the University of Vienna is thanked for support with the travel costs of M.N. and V.E.M. Data acquisition involved the “Service de microscopie électronique et analytique de l’Université de Montpellier”. Javier Guevara from Sistema Nacional de Áreas de Conservación (SINAC) gratefully did an efficient work with the permits. All collections and exportations were under permission from SINAC – Sistema Nacional de Areas de Conservación de Costa Rica of the Ministry of Environment and Energy (MINAE) to M.N. and V.E.M. (No. 183-2010-SINAC , 051-2012-SINAC , 142-2013-SINAC ). JTL's contribution was supported by National Science Foundation grant DEB-1354739 (Project ADMAC).

Austrian Fields of Science 2012

106008 Botany
106007 Biostatistics
106003 Biodiversity research
106042 Systematic botany

Keywords

AZTECA
Ant-plant interactions
Azteca spp.
Cecropia spp.
Chaetothyriales
DIVERSIFICATION
DNA
EVOLUTION
FORMICIDAE
IDENTIFICATION
LEAF-CUTTING ANTS
PHYLOGENY
PLANT-ANTS
PSEUDOMYRMECINAE
Symbioses

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10.1016/j.funeco.2016.07.007

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@article{8ad46c7ef288401fbd967dcdb6b27b1b,

title = "Ant-cultivated Chaetothyriales in hollow stems of myrmecophytic Cecropia sp. trees – diversity and patterns",

abstract = "Five Cecropia tree species occupied by four Azteca ant species from Costa Rica and French Guiana were investigated to assess the diversity and host specificity of chaetothyrialean fungal symbionts. The ITS rDNA region of the symbiotic fungi was sequenced either from pure culture isolation, or from environmental samples obtained from ant colonies nesting in hollow stems of the Cecropia host plants. The investigation revealed six closely related OTUs of Chaetothyriales. Neither the four Azteca species nor the six fungal OTUs were associated with specific Cecropia species. In contrast, ants and fungi showed an association. Azteca alfari was associated with a particular OTU, and often contained only one. Azteca coeruleipennis, Azteca constructor and Azteca xanthochroa were associated with a different set of OTUs and often had multiple OTUs within colonies. Possible reasons for these differences and the role of the fungi for the Azteca-Cecropia symbiosis are discussed. ",

keywords = "AZTECA, Ant-plant interactions, Azteca spp., Cecropia spp., Chaetothyriales, DIVERSIFICATION, DNA, EVOLUTION, FORMICIDAE, IDENTIFICATION, LEAF-CUTTING ANTS, PHYLOGENY, PLANT-ANTS, PSEUDOMYRMECINAE, Symbioses",

author = "Maximilian Nepel and Hermann Voglmayr and Rumsais Blatrix and Longino, \{John T.\} and Konrad Fiedler and J{\"u}rg Sch{\"o}nenberger and Veronika Mayer",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2016 Elsevier Ltd and British Mycological Society",

year = "2016",

month = oct,

doi = "10.1016/j.funeco.2016.07.007",

language = "English",

volume = "23",

pages = "131--140",

journal = "Fungal Ecology",

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AU - Nepel, Maximilian

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AU - Blatrix, Rumsais

AU - Longino, John T.

AU - Fiedler, Konrad

AU - Schönenberger, Jürg

AU - Mayer, Veronika

PY - 2016/10

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N2 - Five Cecropia tree species occupied by four Azteca ant species from Costa Rica and French Guiana were investigated to assess the diversity and host specificity of chaetothyrialean fungal symbionts. The ITS rDNA region of the symbiotic fungi was sequenced either from pure culture isolation, or from environmental samples obtained from ant colonies nesting in hollow stems of the Cecropia host plants. The investigation revealed six closely related OTUs of Chaetothyriales. Neither the four Azteca species nor the six fungal OTUs were associated with specific Cecropia species. In contrast, ants and fungi showed an association. Azteca alfari was associated with a particular OTU, and often contained only one. Azteca coeruleipennis, Azteca constructor and Azteca xanthochroa were associated with a different set of OTUs and often had multiple OTUs within colonies. Possible reasons for these differences and the role of the fungi for the Azteca-Cecropia symbiosis are discussed.

AB - Five Cecropia tree species occupied by four Azteca ant species from Costa Rica and French Guiana were investigated to assess the diversity and host specificity of chaetothyrialean fungal symbionts. The ITS rDNA region of the symbiotic fungi was sequenced either from pure culture isolation, or from environmental samples obtained from ant colonies nesting in hollow stems of the Cecropia host plants. The investigation revealed six closely related OTUs of Chaetothyriales. Neither the four Azteca species nor the six fungal OTUs were associated with specific Cecropia species. In contrast, ants and fungi showed an association. Azteca alfari was associated with a particular OTU, and often contained only one. Azteca coeruleipennis, Azteca constructor and Azteca xanthochroa were associated with a different set of OTUs and often had multiple OTUs within colonies. Possible reasons for these differences and the role of the fungi for the Azteca-Cecropia symbiosis are discussed.

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KW - Azteca spp.

KW - Cecropia spp.

KW - Chaetothyriales

KW - DIVERSIFICATION

KW - DNA

KW - EVOLUTION

KW - FORMICIDAE

KW - IDENTIFICATION

KW - LEAF-CUTTING ANTS

KW - PHYLOGENY

KW - PLANT-ANTS

KW - PSEUDOMYRMECINAE

KW - Symbioses

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/84983537912

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DO - 10.1016/j.funeco.2016.07.007

M3 - Article

SN - 1754-5048

VL - 23

SP - 131

EP - 140

JO - Fungal Ecology

JF - Fungal Ecology

ER -

Ant-cultivated Chaetothyriales in hollow stems of myrmecophytic Cecropia sp. trees – diversity and patterns

Abstract

Funding

Austrian Fields of Science 2012

Keywords

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