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Adaptive Mechanisms of Plant-Ant Interaction and its Evolutionary-Ecological Implications

Research Project

Project/Area Number 62480006
Research Category

Grant-in-Aid for General Scientific Research (B)

Allocation TypeSingle-year Grants
Research Field 生態学
Research InstitutionKyoto University

Principal Investigator

KAWANO Shoichi  Kyoto University, Faculty of Science. Professor Department of Botany, 理学部, 教授 (30019244)

Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) ABE Takuya  Kyoto University, Faculty of Science. Associate Department of Zoology Professor, 理学部, 助教授 (00045030)
Project Period (FY) 1987 – 1989
Project Status Completed (Fiscal Year 1989)
Budget Amount *help
¥6,900,000 (Direct Cost: ¥6,900,000)
Fiscal Year 1989: ¥1,500,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,500,000)
Fiscal Year 1988: ¥1,300,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,300,000)
Fiscal Year 1987: ¥4,100,000 (Direct Cost: ¥4,100,000)
Keywordsmyrmecochory / extrafloral nectary / elaiosome / coadaptation / chemical attractant / Erythronium japonicum / Trillium kamtschaticum / Chloranthus japonicus / 蟻型種子散布 / バクセン酸 / 高級炭化水素 / オオバナノエンレイソウ / ヒトリシズカ / フタリシズカ / エライオソーム / 糖 / 遊離アミノ酸 / ηーアルケン / 不飽和脂肪酸 / nーアルケン / エライオソーム,カタクリ / ミヤマキケマン / 花外蜜腺 / オオイタドリ / 蟻
Research Abstract

(1) The chemical attractants of seed elaiosomes of the four temperate woodland perennials in Japan, i. e., Erythronium japonicum, Trillium kamtschaticum, Chloranthus japonicus, and C-. serratus, were critically analyzed, and the behavioral bioassays were conducted to chemically identify the attractant responsible for the interaction. Both water-soluble fractions and CHC1_3/MeOH extracts were analyzed.
The HPLC analysis of free amino acids revealed that none of the four species' elaiosomes contained amino acids in their water-soluble fractions. No sugars were also contained in,the elaiosomes of Erythronium japonicum and Chloranthus serratus; whereas high amounts of fructose, glucose and saccha rose or maltose were detected from the dlaiosomes of Trillium kamtschaticum and Chloranthus japonicus.
The CHC1_3/MeOH extracts proved to contain diglycerides, triglycerides, free fatty acids, phospholipids sterols. sterolesters, and hydrocarbons. The GC-MS analyses of methylesters of fatty acids,sh … More owed that the major fatty acid present is oleit acid, accompanying with palmitic acid, palmitoleic acid, stearic acid, vaccenic acid, linoleic acid and linolenic acid. The present results, as a conclusion, show that there are two types of ant-dispersed seeds with elaiosomes in terms of chemical compositions, i. e., "sugar" seeds in which sterol, sterolester and diglycerides are entirely lacking (e. g., Trillium kamtschaticum, Chloranthus japonicus, etc.), and "lipid" seeds in which sugars are lacking but instead having large quantities of sterol, sterolester and triglycerides (e. g., Erythronium japonicum, Chlo ranthus serratus, etc.). Assays of purified free lipid extracts, diglycerides, sterols and hydrocarbon all revealed that ants are attracted to all fractions mentioned above, and did not demonstrate clear preference for any specific substance. This fact demonstrates that any specific substance is not an attractant eliciting the ant response to seeds with elaiosomes, which is different from what had been previously suggested (Bresinsky, 1963; Marshall et al., 1979).
(2) The morphology, anatomical structures, and chemical compositions of extrafloral nectaries that occur at the base of petioles or at each stem node of Polygonum cuspidatum and P. sachalinense were studied, and further visiting insects, including ants, to extrafloral nectaries were critically examined in the field. The extrafloral nectaries of these two Polygonum species are obviously vascularized judging from their shape, size, and inner structures. Three different sugars, i. e., glucose, fructose and saccharose, were detected by HPLC analysis from the nectar of two Polygonum species.
Insect predators were also collected in the field and identified. There is no doubt that ants are effectively guarding young shoots of Polygonum in spring to early summer from heavy predation pressure of various phytophagous insects, e. g., such as Callerucida bifasciata, Blitopertha conspurcata, Maladera sp., etc. Less

Report

(4 results)
  • 1989 Annual Research Report   Final Research Report Summary
  • 1988 Annual Research Report
  • 1987 Annual Research Report
  • Research Products

    (25 results)

All Other

All Publications (25 results)

  • [Publications] 河野昭一: "植物と動物の相互適応" 遺伝. 42. 6-11 (1988)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
    • Related Report
      1989 Final Research Report Summary
  • [Publications] Yoshie,F.,Arai,H.,Nakashima,H.and Kawano,S.: "Seasonal changes in nitrogen fractions of Pachysandra terminalis,a forest evergreen chamaephyte" Physiologia Plantarum(in press). (1990)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
    • Related Report
      1989 Final Research Report Summary
  • [Publications] Kawano,S.,Kato,H.and Nishino,S.: "Extrafloral nectaries and ant-plant interaction in Polygonum cuspidatum and <P.>___ー sachalinense(Polygonaceae)" Plant Species Biology. (1990)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
    • Related Report
      1989 Final Research Report Summary
  • [Publications] Nishino,S.,Yamaoka,K.and Kawano,S.: "Chemical attractants in myrmecochorous seeds of temperate herbs I.Erythronium japonicum and Trillium kamtschaticum(Liliaceae)" Plant Species Biology. (1990)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
    • Related Report
      1989 Final Research Report Summary
  • [Publications] Nishino,S.,Yamaoka,K.and Kawano,S.: "Chemical attractants in myrmecochorous seeds of temperate herbs II.Chloranthus japonicus and <C.>___ー serratus(Chloranthaceae)" Plant Species Biology. (1990)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
    • Related Report
      1989 Final Research Report Summary
  • [Publications] Kawano,S.,Connell,J.H.and Hidata,T.(eds.): "Evolution and Coadaptation in Biotic Communities" University of Tokyo Press, 256pp. (1987)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
    • Related Report
      1989 Final Research Report Summary
  • [Publications] Yoshie, F., Arai, H., Nakashima, H. and Kawano, S.: "Seasonal changes in nitrogen fractions of Pachysandra terminalis, a forest evergreen chamaephyte" Physiologia Plantarum 1990.

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より
    • Related Report
      1989 Final Research Report Summary
  • [Publications] Kawano, S., Kato, H. and Nishino, S.: "Extrafloral nectaries and ant-interaction in Polygonum cuspidatum and P. sachalinense (Polygonaceae)" Plant Species Biology.

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より
    • Related Report
      1989 Final Research Report Summary
  • [Publications] Nishino, S., Yamaoka, K. and Kawano, S.: "Chemical attractants in myrmecochorous seeds of temperate herbs I. Erythronium japonicum and Trillium kamtschaticum (Liliaceae)" Plant Species Biology.

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より
    • Related Report
      1989 Final Research Report Summary
  • [Publications] Nishino, S., Yamaoka, K. and Kawano, S.: "Chemical attractants in myrmecochorous seeds of temperate herbs II. Chloranthus japonicus and C. serratur (Chloranthaceae)" Plant Species Biology.

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より
    • Related Report
      1989 Final Research Report Summary
  • [Publications] Kawano, S., Connell, J. H. and Hidata, T. (eds.): Evolution and Coadaptation in Biotic Communities. Academic Press, London, 257 (1957)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より
    • Related Report
      1989 Final Research Report Summary
  • [Publications] 河野昭一: "植物と動物の相互適応" 遺伝. 42. 6-11 (1988)

    • Related Report
      1989 Annual Research Report
  • [Publications] Yoshie,F.,Arai,H.,Nakashima,H.and Kawano,S.: "Seasonal changes in nitrogen fractions of Pachysandra terminalis,a forest evergreen chamaephyte" Physiologia Plantarum. (1990)

    • Related Report
      1989 Annual Research Report
  • [Publications] Kawano,S.,Kato,H.and Nishino,S.: "Extrafloral nectaries and ant-plant interaction in Polygonum cuspidatum and P.sachalinense(Polygonaceae)" Plant Species Biology. (1990)

    • Related Report
      1989 Annual Research Report
  • [Publications] Nishino,S.,Yamaoka,K.and Kawano,S.: "Chemical attractants in myrmecochorous seeds of temperate herbs I.Erythronium japonicum and Trillicum Kamtschaticum(Liliacease)" Plant Species Biology. (1990)

    • Related Report
      1989 Annual Research Report
  • [Publications] Nishino,S.,Yamaoka,K.and Kawano,S.: "Chemical attractants in myrmecochorous seeds of temperate herbs II.Chloranthus japonicus and C.serratus(Chloranthaceae)" Plant Species Biology. (1990)

    • Related Report
      1989 Annual Research Report
  • [Publications] Kawano,S.,Connell,J.H.and Hidaka,T.(eds.): "Evolution and Coadaptation in Biotic Communities" University of Tokyo Press, 256pp. (1987)

    • Related Report
      1989 Annual Research Report
  • [Publications] 河野昭一: 遺伝. 42. 6-11 (1988)

    • Related Report
      1988 Annual Research Report
  • [Publications] Noda,S.;Kawano,S.: Plant Species Biology. 3. 13-26 (1988)

    • Related Report
      1988 Annual Research Report
  • [Publications] Hara,T.;Kawano.S.;Nagai,Y.: Plant Species Biology. 3. 43-59 (1988)

    • Related Report
      1988 Annual Research Report
  • [Publications] Kawano,S.: Plant Species Biology. 2. 141-144 (1987)

    • Related Report
      1987 Annual Research Report
  • [Publications] Ohara,M.;Kawano,S.: Acta Phytotaxonomic et Geobotanica. 38. 75-81 (1987)

    • Related Report
      1987 Annual Research Report
  • [Publications] 河野昭一: 遺伝. 42. 6-11 (1988)

    • Related Report
      1987 Annual Research Report
  • [Publications] 河野昭一: 採集と飼育. 49. 100-103 (1987)

    • Related Report
      1987 Annual Research Report
  • [Publications] Kawano,S.;Takada,T.;Nakayama,S.;Hiratsuka,A.(K.M.Yrbanska,Ed.): "Differentiation Patterns in Higher Plants" Academin Press,London, 272 (1987)

    • Related Report
      1987 Annual Research Report

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Published: 1987-04-01   Modified: 2017-10-19  

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