How Do Ants Break Seeds?
WouterSeveral plant species use ants to disperse their seeds. These include violets, common cow-wheat, wood anemone, and many woodland plants in the U.K. These seeds are collected by ants, transported to the nest, and deposited in nests. Some plants also produce extra structure on the seed, which attracts ants.
These lipid-rich appendages are attractive to foraging ants. High quality seed dispersers, which are typically omnivorous, deposit intact seeds in nests. They may also disperse seeds over long distances. Some ants also use volatiles in their foraging cues. These volatiles are attractive to ants and may be additive to the dispersal process.
Among other factors, the quality of the dispersal also depends on the number and quality of the seeds dispersed, as well as the location of the deposition. The quality of dispersal can also be affected by interactions between the ants and other species. These interactions may have been mutualistic, or they may be antagonistic. In some cases, interspecific interactions may be beneficial to both the ants and the plants, while in others they may inhibit the dispersal process.
A number of studies have shown that ants prefer to disperse seeds that have a high degree of germination potential. These are called “well” seeds. Other studies have shown that ants disperse seeds that are relatively soft.
Seed dispersal by ants is understudied in arid areas. The study by Dr Majer and colleagues used two species of ants to disperse seeds from a native Acacia karina tree. They found that ants dispersed seeds over 70 metres.
