Arthropod-Plant Interactions最新文献

{"title":"Dynamics of intraguild predation in coccinellids: molecular insights","authors":"Meena Yadav,&nbsp;Ahmad Pervez","doi":"10.1007/s11829-024-10128-8","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11829-024-10128-8","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The frequency of intraguild predation (IGP) in coccinellids (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) in the extraguild prey habitats affects the dynamics of prey-predator and predator-predator interactions. Higher incidences of IGP among the coexisting coccinellids plausibly threaten the biocontrol strategies and the biodiversity of the indigenous species. It is imperative to present the issue of IGP in predaceous coccinellids in terms of molecular evidence. Hence, we reviewed the existing literature on molecular methods such as PCR-based gut content analysis, DNA barcoding analysis, metagenomics, High-throughput sequencing, and Next generation sequencing, to better understand the incidences of IGP, and their impact on biological control and the decline of native species. The molecular studies have corroborated field and laboratory studies, providing realistic estimations of IGP, the dominance of an IG predator, and its impact on biocontrol and native coccinellids. Limitations and future directions have also been discussed. This is the first review on molecular techniques used to study IGP in coccinellids.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":8409,"journal":{"name":"Arthropod-Plant Interactions","volume":"19 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2025-01-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143109562","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Alfalfa as cover crop enhances predators and biological control of the Mediterranean fruit fly in a citrus orchard","authors":"Zainab Alssadat Bayegan,&nbsp;Seyed Ali Asghar Fathi,&nbsp;Ali Golizadeh,&nbsp;Jabraeil Razmjou,&nbsp;Mahdi Hassanpour","doi":"10.1007/s11829-024-10125-x","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11829-024-10125-x","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The growth of functional plants that support beneficial arthropods within citrus, <i>Citrus sinensis</i> L., orchards may significantly improve the management of the Mediterranean fruit fly (medfly), <i>Ceratitis capitata</i> (Wiedemann). This research conducted over three years (2020–2023) evaluated the consequences of sowing alfalfa, <i>Medicago sativa</i> L., as a cover crop (Cp plots) compared with bare ground (Bp) in a citrus orchard on the medfly populations and their tree- and ground-dwelling predators. Each year, the study was conducted from October 16th to December 11th. The number of medfly adults/trap/week decreased in the Cp plots compared to the Bp plots during 2021 and 2022. A significant reduction in the number of larvae/fruit and the percentage of infested fruits was seen in Cp plots compared with Bp plots in 2021 and 2022. The total abundance of tree- or ground-dwelling predators was higher in Cp plots than in Bp plots. In addition, Cp plots enhanced the Shannon diversity index for tree-dwelling predators and ground-dwelling predators compared with Bp plots. Therefore, planting alfalfa as a functional cover crop in citrus orchards offers a practicable strategy for reducing medfly populations in integrated pest management.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":8409,"journal":{"name":"Arthropod-Plant Interactions","volume":"19 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2025-01-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143109568","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Salinity stress affects the demographic characteristics of Frankliniella occidentalis (Thys.: Thripidae) on virus-infected tomato plants","authors":"Maryam Aleosfoor,&nbsp;Lida Fekrat,&nbsp;Kambiz Minaei","doi":"10.1007/s11829-024-10119-9","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11829-024-10119-9","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Salinization stands out as a harsh environmental stress element that hinders the productivity of crops. Climatic changes, alterations in land utilization, and changes in the salinity levels of irrigation water are the main reasons of rising salinization of soil. Enhanced soil salinity modifies the plant quality, potentially leading to cascading impacts on phytophagous insects. On the other hand, virus infection of host plants can have notable effects on the demographic characteristics of the herbivorous insects including virus vectors. So, in our study we investigated how salinity stress affects the demographic characteristics of <i>Frankliniella occidentalis</i> (WFT) through cherry tomato plant infected with tomato yellow ring virus (TYRV). Despite significant enhancement of adult longevity, oviposition period, and fecundity of WFT on virus-infected plants under no-stress conditions, these parameters were adversely affected by salinity stress, leading to a decline in overall fitness of the WFT. The salinity interfered the development duration of nymphs, adult longevity, and oviposition of WFT. Remarkable differences detected in the intrinsic and finite increase rates as well as the net reproduction rate of WFT under high level of salinity. Salinity had a negative impact on WFT development; nonetheless, population projection forecasted a clear but slower growth trend in WFT population particularly under moderate level of salinity (2.8 dS/m of NaCl), while high level of salinity (4.7 dS/m) led to notable fitness costs in WFT populations. The results imply that WFT may pose a growing threat in both virus-free and virus-infected environments characterized by low to moderate salinity levels, potentially exacerbating the negative impacts of salinity on tomato yields. This study will provide insights into the life table characteristics of WFT in tomato fields infected with tomato yellow ring orthotospovirus, aiding in environmentally friendly management strategies.</p><h3>Graphical Abstract</h3><p>Salinity stress affects western flower thrips, <i>Frankliniella occidentalis</i> (Pergande), by affecting food sources, physiology, and behavior, leading to reduced fitness and increased mortality rates.</p>\u0000<div><figure><div><div><picture><source><img></source></picture></div></div></figure></div></div>","PeriodicalId":8409,"journal":{"name":"Arthropod-Plant Interactions","volume":"19 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2025-01-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142994990","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Chemical mediators of pollinator specificity breakdown in dioecious Ficus deltoidea complex","authors":"Nur ‘Aliyaa Nizam,&nbsp;Nur Badrina Mohammad Naser,&nbsp;Indah Nilam Sari Yahaya,&nbsp;Reena Abd Rashid,&nbsp;Noraini Kasim,&nbsp;Nur Fatihah Hasan Nudin,&nbsp;Siti Khairiyah Mohd Hatta","doi":"10.1007/s11829-024-10113-1","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11829-024-10113-1","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The specific interaction of fig (<i>Ficus</i>) and its fig wasp pollinator (Agaonidae) is sustained by the olfactory signal in combination with morphological co-adaptations. <i>Ficus deltoidea</i> complex is a dioecious fig tree that is regularly pollinated by the fig wasp <i>Blastophaga</i> spp. This complex includes 13 varieties, seven of which are native to Peninsular Malaysia. The classification relies exclusively on leaf characterisation, without considering gene flow across sympatric taxa. Additionally, it remains unexplored whether different varieties support distinct fig wasp pollinators, or to what extent the floral scents emitted by receptive phase figs of these varieties differ. An experiment was conducted to determine the host specificity of <i>Blastophaga</i> sp. from var. <i>trengganuensis</i> in the germplasm of UniSZA by placing a donor male tree from var. <i>trengganuensis</i> surrounded by other varieties. To see the correlation between the varieties entered by the fig wasps and the volatile odour compound (VOC) releases from the receptive figs, a headspace solid-phase microextraction and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry analysis were used. The breakdown of one-to-one specificity in fig and fig wasp mutualism occurs when <i>Blastophaga</i> sp. from var. <i>trengganuensis</i> enters another variety (var. <i>kunstleri</i>) apart from its own variety. Monoterpenes, sesquiterpenes, and aliphatic compounds were detected in the odours of five sympatric fig varieties of <i>F. deltoidea</i> with varying compositions. Multivariate data analysis using PLS revealed the existence of three distinct groups based on differences in VOC content. Females of both var. <i>kunstleri</i> and var. <i>trengganuensis</i> were clustered together, with 12 compounds identified as potentially correlated with the number of fig wasps that entered. Our findings imply that pollinator specificity in figs was potentially mediated by chemical signals in the fig odour where the overlapping of compounds between two varieties caused the pollinators from one variety to reach their non-host plants. Pollinator sharing between two varieties revealed the breakdown of pollinator specificity in var. <i>trengganuensis</i>, showing gene flow is happening in the closely related trees that differ in appearance.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":8409,"journal":{"name":"Arthropod-Plant Interactions","volume":"19 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2025-01-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142912815","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Potential role of the flower mite Hattena rhizophorae (Mesostigmata: Ameroseiidae) on Rhizophora mangle pollination","authors":"Tania Carolina Hoyos Ruiz,&nbsp;Paula María Montoya-Pfeiffer","doi":"10.1007/s11829-024-10120-2","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11829-024-10120-2","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Flower mites are often assumed to negatively impact plant reproductive fitness by depleting floral resources for pollinators. However, there is a lack of studies directly investigating the effects of mites on pollination. This study explores the potential role of <i>Hattena rhizophorae</i> mites in the pollination of the anemophilous species <i>Rhizophora mangle</i>. We hypothesized that <i>H. rhizophorae</i> mites might contribute to the pollination of <i>R. mangle</i> if they (1) are prevalent on flowers, (2) can easily disperse through means other than phoresy, and (3) contribute to pollen transport and deposition.</p><p>We examined the spatiotemporal variability of <i>H. rhizophorae</i> mites on <i>R. mangle</i> flowers in relation to the season, the <i>R. mangle</i> patch size, and the abundance of insect visitors that may act as their dispersal vectors We also investigated whether mites could alternatively disperse among flowers via air currents and running water, quantified the pollen grains on the mites’ bodies, and observed whether they made contact with the flower stigmas. We found that mites might serve as pollinators of <i>R. mangle</i> as they were relatively common on flowers, with an average infestation frequency of 40% ± 7% of flowers and an abundance of 68.4 ± 15.5 mites per flower. Their numbers increased with patch size, insect visitor abundance, and during the rainy season. Mites were transported by wind, though there was no evidence of transportation by running water. They appeared to contribute to pollen transport and deposition, as we observed pollen grains attached to their bodies and mites walking on flower stigmas.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":8409,"journal":{"name":"Arthropod-Plant Interactions","volume":"19 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2024-12-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142844921","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Response of Lilioceris cheni to herbivore induced plant volatiles from Dioscorea bulbifera","authors":"Jessica L. Griesheimer,&nbsp;Alexander M. Gaffke,&nbsp;Carey Minteer,&nbsp;John L. Mass,&nbsp;Stephen Hight,&nbsp;Xavier Martini","doi":"10.1007/s11829-024-10123-z","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11829-024-10123-z","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Insect damage to a plant activates induced defenses, which include releases of herbivore induced plant volatiles (HIPVs) that attract natural enemies and usually repel generalist herbivores. Oppositely, most herbivore specialists have evolved responses against these defenses, and in many cases are attracted to host HIPVs. However, it is not clear if a specialist is able to discriminate HIPVs released by conspecifics, other specialists, or generalist damage. <i>Dioscorea bulbifera</i> is an invasive vine native to Asia and Africa with infestations in the southeastern United States, Hawai’i, and Puerto Rico. A host specific biological control agent, <i>Lilioceris cheni</i> (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) was introduced in 2011 to control <i>D. bulbifera</i>. Recently, a new host specific biological control agent, <i>Lilioceris egena</i>, has been released to improve the biological control program for <i>D. bulbifera</i>. In this study, attraction of <i>L. cheni</i> to HIPVs from generalist, <i>Spodoptera frugiperda</i> (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae); specialist, <i>L. egena</i>; and conspecific damage were investigated. Behavioral assays indicated <i>L. cheni</i> had preference for any type of herbivore damaged plants compared to undamaged plants and discriminated between conspecific damaged plants in the presence of generalist damaged plants, favoring conspecific damaged plants. Differently damaged <i>D. bulbifera</i> plants were then evaluated using gas chromatography coupled with mass spectroscopy which revealed significant quantitative differences between both the specialists’ herbivore damage compared to the generalist volatile profiles with induction of 11 volatiles and suppression of four. This study highlights the importance of understanding an invasive plant’s response to specialist and generalist damage for better management of the invasive species.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":8409,"journal":{"name":"Arthropod-Plant Interactions","volume":"19 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2024-12-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142826413","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Plant–insect interactions: resistance mechanisms of barley against Mayetiola hordei","authors":"Sarra Guesmi,&nbsp;Abir Soltani,&nbsp;Mouhiba Ben Nasri Ayachi,&nbsp;Noura Omri,&nbsp;Khalil Khamassi,&nbsp;Mohsen Rezgui,&nbsp;Jouda Mediouni Ben Jemâa","doi":"10.1007/s11829-024-10111-3","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11829-024-10111-3","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>This work aims to enhance our understanding of plant-defense mechanisms, which is crucial for developing resistant crops following pest attacks. Focusing on the susceptibility of Tunisian barley to the gall midge <i>Mayetiola hordei</i>, the current study explores how gall formation affects the structure of attacked organs, and how sensitive and resistant barley cultivars respond to infestations. Two barley cultivars, Kounouz and Rihane, were selected for this experiment in two semi-arid regions of North Tunisia, Zaghouan and Kef. Sampling was carried out at four stages of barley development (tillering, elongation, heading, and ripening). Kef region was identified as the most affected area, recording significant economic and severe infestations for Kounouz variety, particularly at the ripening stage (53% and 24%, respectively). While Rihane variety demonstrated the least susceptibility, with only 4% of tillers severely infested during the heading stage in Kef and 7% in Zaghouan. This study detected structural changes in the stem induced by gall formation, revealing cellular hypertrophy, tissue hyperplasia, and lignin accumulation. Furthermore, the findings demonstrated a significant increase in total polyphenol compounds and total peroxidase activity upon gall midge attack. Polyphenol, flavonoid, condensed tannins, and peroxidase activity concentrations after infestation reached 1.312 ± 0.056 mgGAE/gWF; 1.457 ± 0.079 mgRE/gWF; 0.237 ± 0.036 mgCE/gWF; and 4.160 U/g FW, respectively, for Rihane variety during the heading stage of barley in Kef. The study also highlighted a linear relationship between peroxidase activity and total phenolic content post-infestation, underscoring the role of phenolic compounds and peroxidase activity in plant resistance and defense in response to <i>M. hordei</i>-induced stress.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":8409,"journal":{"name":"Arthropod-Plant Interactions","volume":"19 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2024-12-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142811046","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Contribution of nocturnal moth pollination to buckwheat seed set","authors":"Yuta Nagano,&nbsp;Tadashi Miyashita","doi":"10.1007/s11829-024-10117-x","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11829-024-10117-x","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Although diverse wild pollinators contribute to crop pollination, nocturnal pollinators have been largely overlooked. In this study, we focused on buckwheat, which relies on various insect species for pollination. Since buckwheat flowers are believed to close in the evening, earlier studies have exclusively examined the role of diurnal pollinators. However, some buckwheat flowers have been observed opening at night; thus, we can assume that nocturnal insects play a role in buckwheat pollination. Our field observations showed that 80% of buckwheat flowers that opened in the morning remained open at night. The insects visiting buckwheat flowers at night belonged to the moth families of Noctuidae, Crambidae, and Pyralidae. These moths were all found to have buckwheat pollen on their bodies. To quantify the contribution of nocturnal pollinators to seed set, we conducted a pollinator exclusion experiment using the following bagging treatments: no pollinators (bagging for 24 h), only diurnal pollinators (bagging from 18:00 to 06:00), only nocturnal pollinators (bagging from 06:00 to 18:00), and natural pollination (no bagging). The results showed that the seed set decreased in the following order: natural pollination, diurnal pollinators only, nocturnal pollinators only, and no pollinators, with one-fourth of the buckwheat seed sets resulting from nocturnal pollinators. However, the proportion of flowers open at night decreased as the flowering period progress, and the role of nocturnal pollinators appeared to decline over time. Our findings suggests that nocturnal pollinators may complementarily increase buckwheat seed sets, emphasizing the need to investigate overlooked nocturnal pollinators in crop pollination services.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":8409,"journal":{"name":"Arthropod-Plant Interactions","volume":"19 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2024-12-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s11829-024-10117-x.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142811044","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Hyphantria cunea-mediated inducible defense in low-fitness host plant Tilia amurensis: An arthropod–plant interaction perspective","authors":"Ruiqi Wang,&nbsp;Yantao Zhou,&nbsp;Aoying Zhang,&nbsp;Ying Wang,&nbsp;Kexin Ding,&nbsp;Mingtao Tan,&nbsp;Dun Jiang,&nbsp;Shanchun Yan","doi":"10.1007/s11829-024-10121-1","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11829-024-10121-1","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Inducible defense is an important anti-insect strategy in plants. This study investigated whether larval feeding by Hyphantria cunea at low-density and high-density levels can initiate inducible defense responses in the low-fitness host plant Tilia amurensis on the 7th- and 21th-day post-feeding. The results revealed significant alterations in the nutrient composition (e.g., amino acids, soluble sugars, and total proteins) within T. amurensis, with notable decreases observed on the 7th-day post-feeding, followed by increases on the 21st day, respectively. Specifically, the low-density feeding group prompted significant increases in tannin, total phenols, and total flavonoids on the 7th day, whereas the high-density feeding group induced significant decreases in these compounds. Conversely, total alkaloid levels exhibited an inverse pattern, with lignin contents notably decreasing. By the 21st-day post-feeding, all secondary metabolites demonstrated significant increases. Expression analysis of flavonoid biosynthetic genes mirrors the changes observed in the total flavonoid content. Furthermore, larval feeding activates the α-linoleic acid metabolism pathway consistently across all time points. Subsequent generations of H. cunea larvae in low-density feeding and high-density feeding groups demonstrated decreased growth, along with downregulation of growth regulatory genes and key genes involved in energy metabolism, digestion, and detoxification. Notably, the expression of digestive gene LIP10 and detoxification genes GST18 and CARE14 exhibits adaptive regulation in response to T. amurensis’ inducible defense. Overall, larval feeding by H. cunea elicits a robust and enduring inducible defense response in T. amurensis, ultimately decreasing the fitness of the subsequent generations of H. cunea larvae on T. amabilis.</p><h3>Graphical abstract</h3>\u0000<div><figure><div><div><picture><source><img></source></picture></div></div></figure></div></div>","PeriodicalId":8409,"journal":{"name":"Arthropod-Plant Interactions","volume":"19 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2024-12-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142811045","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Seasonal variation in the ant–plant interaction network mediated by extrafloral nectaries in the southern Sonoran Desert","authors":"Luis Fernando Valdez-Ojeda,&nbsp;Miguel Vásquez-Bolaños,&nbsp;Francisco Molina-Freaner","doi":"10.1007/s11829-024-10118-w","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11829-024-10118-w","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Ants, a prominent insect group, play important roles in various terrestrial ecosystems, by engaging in diverse biotic interactions, such as those involving plants bearing extrafloral nectaries (EFNs). This study investigates the seasonal dynamics of this interaction throughout the dry and rainy seasons in a southern Sonoran Desert site. Results indicate that despite a relatively low coverage of EFN-bearing plants (4.97% ± 4.60), interactions between ants, and these plants are frequent, involving 31% of the perennial plant community (35 species) and 54% of the ant community (35 species). The cactus family exhibited the highest species richness (7 of 11 species) with EFNs in the study area. The location of EFNs varied among plant species and were associated with both vegetative and reproductive organs. Employing selective trapping for ants that forage on plants bearing EFNs, a higher ant species richness was recorded during the rainy season (19 vs 12 spp.). The network’s topology is associated with plant phenology, and slight seasonal differences in network structure parameters were observed. Seasonal variation in the interaction align with the phenology of EFN-bearing plants. Factors such as water availability could influence competition and, consequently, the inter-season variation in the number and dependencies of ant–plant interactions. Only two species were consistently recorded in both seasons within the core of generalists: the cactus <i>Cylindropuntia fulgida</i> and the ant <i>Forelius pruinosus</i>. Given the substantial involvement of ants with EFN-bearing plants, this association emerges as a fundamental component within the community of this desert site.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":8409,"journal":{"name":"Arthropod-Plant Interactions","volume":"19 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2024-12-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142790385","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}