#myrmecochory — Public Fediverse posts

The greater #celandine (#Chelidonium #majus) prefers #nitrogenrich #soils and tends to be #thermophilic. In Germany, it grows in #parks and along roadsides. #Seeddispersal occurs via #myrmecochory; #ants are #attracted by means of a #lure (an #elaiosome). In the case of C. majus, this takes the form of a fleshy outgrowth (a #caruncle).
© #StefanFWirth

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#Photos
© S.F. Wirth

Giant Wakerobin (Trillium chloropetalum) seeds take two springs to germinate and up to five years to flower. Ants are drawn to a food-rich elaiosome on each seed, which they carry to their nests. After feeding the elaiosome to their larvae, they discard the seed—effectively dispersing it.

#ants #myrmecochory #nature #wildlife #california #wildflowers

New congrats to Mariano Arias, PhD candidate in our lab on his paper "Persistent effects of land-use history on myrmecochorous plant & epigeic ant assemblages across an ecoregional gradient in New York State" in Biodiversity & Conservation. You can watch this space for the pdf soon.

#ants #myrmecochory #gradients #landuse #forest #ESF

Extrafloral nectaries enhance #seed #dispersal by #ants (#myrmecochory) in plants with elaiosome-bearing seeds: eg Adenanthos cygnorum (#Proteaceae, Australia), Lamont & Grey
https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.9500

"The ants are offered a nectar “entrée” before receiving the “main course” of a nutrient-rich elaiosome that ensures the seeds escape granivores and are buried"

Note that myrmecochory can be an adaptation to protect seeds from #fire! https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/brv.12855

#Ecology #FireEcology @wildfirescience