Interação de formigas com sementes de Mabea fistulifera Mart em um fragmento florestal, Sinop-MT

Abstract

Plants have developed several mechanisms to facilitate the dispersion of their seeds over long distances, with the help of dispersing agents such as ants. The seeds of some plant species have a structure around them, known as an elaiosome, which is made up of proteins and lipids, which makes them very attractive to ants. A very common plant species in the study region, which has this substance, is Mabea fistulifera (Euphorbiaceae). The present work aimed to study the ant species, as well as the rate of seed removal by the species Mabea fistulifera. The work was carried out in a forest fragment located on the Campus of the Federal University of Mato Grosso, municipality of Sinop-MT, State of Mato Grosso. To determine the seed removal rate, 20 fresh seeds of M. fistulifera containing the nutritive appendage (elaiosome) and 20 seeds where the elaiosome was manually removed were marked with paint of different colors and placed in ten points close to the trees. M. fistulifera along the main trail of the forest fragment. After 24 hours, the seeds remaining in the plots were counted and collected. Some specimens of ants observed interacting with the seeds were collected for later identification. Data analysis was performed by comparing the percentage of seed loading using the t test. Seven species of ants were recorded interacting with the seeds of M. fistulifera, Solenopsis substituta, Acromyrmex subterraneus, Pheidole oxyops, Pheidole radoszkowskii, Pheidole sp. 1, Pheidole sp. 2 and Atta sexdens. Comparing the importance of the elaiosome in seed loading, a higher seed loading rate was found with the elaiosome, indicating the influence of the appendage on seed loading.