Effects of habitat fragmentation on the three-way interaction among ants,aphids and larvae of the giant purple emperor, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Sasakia charonda</Emphasis> (Hewitson), a near-threatened butterfly |
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Authors: | Takato Kobayashi Masahiko Kitahara Eri Tanaka |
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Institution: | (1) Laboratory of Applied Entomology, Faculty of Agriculture, Utsunomiya University, Mine350, Utsunomiya Tochigi, 321-8505, Japan;(2) Laboratory of Animal Ecology, Yamanashi Institute of Environmental Sciences, 5597-1 Kenmarubi, Kamiyoshida, Fujiyoshida Yamanashi, 403-0005, Japan;(3) K-101, 2-2-18 Umezono, Tsukuba Ibaragi, 305-0045, Japan |
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Abstract: | Survival rates of both early and middle instar larvae of the nymphalid butterfly, Sasakia
charonda, were estimated to be lowest on test trees planted in a meadow (site A), intermediate in a small, narrow secondary deciduous
broadleaf forest (small patch, site B) and highest in a large secondary deciduous broadleaf forest (large forest, site C).
The larval mortality rates due to predation by tree-climbing predators from the ground (tree climbing predator) such as ants
and the larvae of carabids were estimated to be greater at sites A and B than those at site C. The number of predatory ants
climbing test trees was significantly greater at sites A and B than at site C, and the ants harvested honeydew from aphids
living on tree leaves at those two sites. Aphid densities were significantly higher on trees at sites A and B than at site
C, and aphid densities and numbers of predatory ants were significantly and positively correlated at sites A and B. In an
experiment controlling aphid density per branch on test trees, the numbers of ants and the mortality rates of S.
charonda larvae were greater on branches with high aphid densities than on those with low aphid densities at both sites A and B. These
results suggest that the aphid density per host tree was higher in the meadow and the small patch than in the large forest;
at both sites these higher aphid densities attracted higher numbers of predatory ants to test trees, and as a result, mortality
rates of S.
charonda larvae were increased. |
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Keywords: | Habitat fragmentation Sasakia charonda Ants Aphids Three-way interaction |
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