Myrmecochory – How Ants Assist Develop Our Gardens
by Emma Murphy, Grasp Gardener
Ants are in every single place, however solely often seen. They run a lot of the terrestrial world because the premier soil turners, channelers of power, dominatrices of the insect fauna ~ Bert Holldobler
This spring I seen that my patches of native bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis) and large-flowered bellwort (Uvularia grandiflora) seem to have unfold to locations the place I didn’t plant it. In order that obtained me questioning “how did that occur?”
Apparently the reply is myrmecochory, which is outlined because the dispersal of seeds by ants. Many vegetation have advanced to rely on a particular group of bugs to disperse their seeds—on this case ants!
Crops that use ants to disperse their seeds have a fat-filled construction on the seed exterior known as an elaiosome, which is a brilliant snack for an ant. These buildings or “meals our bodies” are wealthy in lipids, amino acids or different vitamins.
Elaiosome (e-lay-o-zome)
(Greek: elaion=oil + soma=physique) actually that means ‘oil physique’
Crops that use this method embody lots of the spring ephemerals reminiscent of trout lily (Erythronium americanum), violets (Viola spp), trilliums (Trillium spp), bloodroot, wild ginger (Asarum canadense), dicentra (Dutchman’s breeches, squirrel corn, bleeding hearts), hepatica, spring magnificence (Claytonia virginica), large-flowered bellwort, and sedges within the Carex genus.
The way it Works
- Elaiosome Manufacturing
Myrmecochorous vegetation produce seeds with an elaiosome - Ant Attraction
The elaiosome attracts ants, who’re drawn to the meals supply. - Seed Transport
Ants carry the seed again to their nest, the place they eat the elaiosome.- Seed Dispersal
The seed is then discarded, usually close to the ant nest, offering a superb atmosphere for germination and seedling institution.
- Seed Dispersal
The seeds are dispersed away from the mother or father plant, which reduces competitors with the mother or father plant and improves possibilities of profitable germination within the new spot. The ants might also discard the seeds in nutrient-rich areas throughout the colony, additional enhancing germination success.
Because of the ants, the seeds are buried in nourishing soil, protected against predators (e.g., slugs and mice) who would eat all the seed, not simply the elaiosome.
Myrmecochory happens worldwide, with over 11,000 plant species relying on this partnership. In jap North America, ants within the genus Aphaenogaster do nearly all of the work. These ants nest in leaf litter and woody particles on the bottom, so it’s essential to attenuate plowing and soil disturbance.
Ants are Essential
Ants are an important a part of our ecosystem and value defending. They’re keystone species – their variety and behavior have an effect on their habitats and the encompassing plant and animal communities. So by conserving ants, we defend many different organisms that depend on them for the lifecycles.
The intricate tunnels and galleries ants create loosen the soil and permit moisture, vitamins, and air to maneuver downwards. They carry leaf litter, prey, and different meals objects deep into the soil, which then are damaged down by different invertebrates and microbes into the vitamins that each one vegetation must develop.
So subsequent time you see your favorite spring plant has popped up in one other location, thank the ants!
Need Extra Info?
Don’t crush that ant—it might plant a wildflower
Ants As Seed Dispersers a.okay.a. The Myrmecochory Episode!
