Abstract
Studies of the relationship between the composition of nectar and its consumers often focus on single or very few species, thus ignoring dynamics in diverse assemblages. Conversely, most documented patterns of nectarivore communities have not been linked to nectar quality measures. In a study of nectar-foraging ant communities in an Australian rain forest, we found that nectar source partitioning between consumers may be driven by two factors: (1) variation in nectar composition preferences mediated by taste and physiological requirements, and (2) severe asymmetrical competitive interactions within the community. Ant communities are strongly shaped by competitive hierarchies. When foraging for extrafloral and floral nectar sources, wound sap, and homopteran honeydew, competitively superior weaver-ants (Oecophylla smaragdina) showed a significant preference for nectar composition, whereas most other common community members were nonselective. Nectars frequently used by O. smaragdina were characterized by similar amino acid profiles and higher sugar and amino acid concentration. We hypothesize that, for nectar– consumer relationships, as for other interactions in complex communities, the interplay between species-specific physiological optima and context-dependent asymmetrical competition is essential to explain consumers' preferences and the dynamics of the system.
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