Evidence for collective medication in ants
Evidence for collective medication in ants
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DOI：
10.1046/j.1461-0248.2003.00395.x
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发表时间：
2003-01-01
期刊：
影响因子：
8.8
通讯作者：
Chapuisat, M
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Christe, P;Oppliger, A;Chapuisat, M
社会有机体暴露于许多病原体，并进化出各种防御机制来限制寄生的成本。在这里，我们报告了蚂蚁使用植物化合物作为抵御微生物的集体手段的第一个证据。木蚁 Formica paralugubris 经常将大量固化的针叶树树脂放入其巢穴中。通过创建无树脂和富含树脂的实验巢，我们证明这种树脂在模仿自然条件的环境中抑制微生物的生长。这种集体治疗可能会带来重大的生态优势，并且可能是大型、复杂和成功社会的一个未被认识到的共同特征。
Social organisms are exposed to many pathogens, and have evolved various defence mechanisms to limit the cost of parasitism. Here we report the first evidence that ants use plant compounds as a collective mean of defence against microorganisms. The wood ants Formica paralugubris often incorporate large quantities of solidified conifer resin into their nests. By creating resin-free and resin-rich experimental nests, we demonstrate that this resin inhibits the growth of microorganisms in a context mimicking natural conditions. Such a collective medication probably confers major ecological advantages, and may be an unrecognized yet common feature of large, complex and successful societies.