Interspecific variation and ontogenetic change in antiherbivore defense in myrmecophytic Macaranga species

Abstract

The present study examined whether or not coexisting congeneric plant species have different defense strategies against herbivores, and the intensity of defense changes ontogenetically. We focused on nine myrmecophytic Macaranga species and estimated the intensity of non‐biotic and biotic defense by the degree of leaf damage in ant‐free and ant‐occupied plants, respectively. Ant colonization of myrmecophytic Macaranga species occurred in the early stage of plant development (5–50 cm‐tall seedlings). Following the colonization, damage by leaf eaters was minimized and stable during the ontogenetic development of the host plants due to protection by ants. In ant‐free trees, however, herbivore damage was immense in seedlings and decreased as trees grew. Interspecific comparison of leaf damage and herbivore fauna supported that coexisting congeneric plants differ in their types of non‐biotic (chemical/structural) defense: without ant protection, Macaranga beccariana, for example, was somewhat resistant to leaf eaters but susceptible to gall‐makers, Macaranga trachyphylla was heavily infested by generalist leaf eaters, and Macaranga winkleri was exploited by ant‐predatory birds. Despite these variations in chemical/structural defense, ant‐colonized plants were generally well defended by ants against all kinds of herbivores. This suggests that the individual host‐specific ant mutualists are well adapted to deter the chemically or structurally adapted herbivores. These results imply that in the history of diversification in the Macaranga–ant–herbivore system, a sequence of mutual counter adaptation took place not only between plants and herbivores but also between ants and herbivores.