Seed and wasp production in the mutualism of figs and fig wasps |
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| Authors: | Yao?Jin-yan Zhao?Nan-xian Email author" target="_blank">Chen?Yi-zhu?Email author Jia?Xiao-cheng Deng?Yuan Yu?Hui |
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| Institution: | 1. South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510650, P. R. China;Graduate School of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100039, P. R. China
2. South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510650, P. R. China |
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| Abstract: | Figs (Moracea: Ficus) and fig wasps (Hymenoptera: Chlocloids: Agaonideae) depend on each other to complete their reproduction. Monoecious fig
species and their pollinating wasps are in conflict over the use of fig ovaries which can either produce one seed or one wasp.
From observation on Ficus virens Ait., we showed that female flowers with outer layer of ovaries (near to the wall of syconium) had no significant difference
from that with inner and interval layer of ovaries (near to the syconium cavity), in which most seeds and wasps were produced.
This meant that fig tree provided the same potential resource for seed and wasps production. Observation indicated that there
was usually only one foundress in syconium at female flower phase and no competition pollinators. Measurement of the style
length of female flowers and the ovipositor of pollinators indicated that most ovaries could be reached by pollinator’s ovipositor.
However, at the male flower phase, production of seeds was significantly more than that of wasps including non-pollinating
wasps but there was no significant difference between seed and pollinating wasp production when without non-pollinating wasps
produced. This result indicated that non-pollinating wasps competed ovaries not with seeds but with pollinating wasps for
ovipositing. Bagged experiment showed that the sampling fig species was not self-sterile which was important for figs and
wasps to survive bad season. Seed production in self-pollinated figs was not significantly different from total wasps including
non-pollinating ones. This might be related with the weaker competition among wasps since bagged figs were not easy to reach
by wasps from outside.
Supported by the Knowledge Innovation Research Program, Chinese Academy of Sciences (KSCX2-SW-105)] |
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| Keywords: | Ficus Ficus wasp mutualism conflicts seed and wasp production |
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