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- Title
Prey-predator mutualism in a tritrophic system on a camphor tree.
- Authors
Kasai, Atsushi; Yano, Shuichi; Takafuji, Akio
- Abstract
We report the discovery of a mutualistic system encompassing prey-predator interactions. A domatium is a small space in a vein axil on the underside of leaves of woody angiosperms.Cinnamomum camphoraLinn. has domatia that harbor a microphytophagous eriophyid mite (sp. 1). We previously reported that a predatory mite,Euseius sojaensis(Ehara), depends on this eriophyid mite as food. We revealed thatE. sojaensisalso preyed upon another eriophyid mite (sp. 2) that induces galls onleaves, and that the mean area ofC. camphoraleaves with galls was usually less than half that of leaves without galls. We experimentally tested the effect ofE. sojaensison galls, and confirmed that the presence ofE. sojaensisreduced gall induction. Therefore,C. camphora, eriophyid mite sp. 1, andE. sojaensiscomprise a mutualistic system, in spite of the prey-predator interactions among them. The conventional concept of mutualism does not apply to such prey-predator interactions, so we defined them as “systematic mutualism.” Here, the system consists of three trophic levels, and individuals that constitute this system benefitfrom the other species that constitute this system.
- Subjects
MUTUALISM (Biology); PREDATION; ECOLOGY; PARASITISM; SPECIES; BIOLOGICAL classification
- Publication
Ecological Research, 2005, Vol 20, Issue 2, p163
- ISSN
0912-3814
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1007/s11284-004-0030-9