| Full text | |
| Author(s): |
Camargo, Roberto da Silva
[1]
;
Forti, L. C.
;
Matos, C. A. O. de
;
Lopes, J. F.
;
Andrade, A. P. P. de
Total Authors: 5
|
| Affiliation: | [1] Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Botucatu. Faculdade de Ciências Agronômicas. Departamento de Produção Vegetal - Brasil
Total Affiliations: 5
|
| Document type: | Journal article |
| Source: | Journal of Applied Entomology; v. 128, n. 5, p. 329-331, Jun. 2004. |
| Field of knowledge: | Agronomical Sciences - Agronomy |
| Abstract | |
Leaf-cutting ants forage on a wide variety of plant species using the physical and chemical characteristics of the plants as a selection criterion. In order to determine the influence of the physical factor on the selection of foraging material, inert materials such as floral sponge, polystyrene, plastic and clay, which possess different degrees of physical resistance to cutting, were offered simultaneously to five Acromyrmex subterraneus brunneus colonies, and assessed 12 and 24 h after foraging. No substrate selectivity was observed during foraging. Physical resistance was used as a decision criterion for the incorporation or return of the foraged material. This fact suggests the existence of a second time of selection of the foraged material inside the colony during cultivation of the symbiontic fungus. (AU) | |