Herbivory of Leaf-Cutting Ants: A Case Study on Atta colombica in the Tropical Rainforest of Panama (Ecological Studies (164))

Plant-animal interactions have become a focus of ecological research, with the processes of herbivory being of special interest. This volume examines the interactions of leaf-cutting ants with the rainforest vegetation on Barro Colorado Islands in Central America. It is the synthesis of field research on multiple scales extending over a period of several years. This work can serve as a model study summarizing and extending knowledge about herbivorous insect-plant relationships, and the resulting consequences on structural and functional features of tropical ecosystems. The text is an invaluable reference for researchers and land managers working in the fields of plant-animal interactions, herbivory, community ecology and biodiversity. Front Matter....Pages I-XV About This Book....Pages 1-3 The Natural History of Leaf-Cutting Ants....Pages 5-48 The Study Area — Barro Colorado Island....Pages 49-54 Species Composition of the Forest....Pages 55-59 Forest Light Regimes....Pages 61-69 Canopy Structure of the Forest....Pages 71-82 Colony Dynamics....Pages 83-90 Harvest Dynamics....Pages 91-110 The Trail System....Pages 111-120 Host Plant Selection....Pages 121-130 Herbivory Rates....Pages 131-149 Herbivory and Light....Pages 151-163 Seed Dispersal by Leaf-Cutting Ants....Pages 165-169 Nutrient Cycling and Water Relations....Pages 171-181 Conclusions: Ecosystem Perspectives....Pages 183-194 Back Matter....Pages 195-233