Diffusive coevolution and mutualism maintenance mechanisms in a fig–fig wasp system

• DOI: 10.1890/09-1446.1
• Publication Date: 2010-04-29T15:13:08Z
• Authors: Rui-Wu Wang; Bao-Fa Sun; Qi Zheng
• Keywords: Mutualism; Coevolution

In reciprocal mutualism systems, the exploitation events by exploiters might disrupt mutualism, wherein one exploiter species even exclude other coexisting over an evolutionary time frame. What remains unclear is how such a community maintained. Niche partitioning, or spatial heterogeneity among mutualists and exploiters, generally believed to enable stability within mutualistic system. However, our examination of between fig (Ficus racemosa) its pollinator wasp (Ceratosolen fusciceps) shows that niche partitioning does not sufficiently prevent from overexploiting common resource (i.e., female flowers), because considerable overlap exploiters. response exploiter, experiment can (1) abort syconia-containing flowers have been galled Apocryptophagus testacea, which oviposits before pollinators do; (2) retain mayri, oviposit later than pollinators. as result (2), there decreased development adult non-pollinators in syconia pollinated, but aborted. Such discriminative abortion figs reduction offspring while rewarding cooperative individuals with higher will increase fitness pollinating wasps, decrease The fig-fig interactions are diffusively coevolved, case wasps diversify their genotype, phenotype, behavior competition diverge strategies facilitate evolution waps lessen detrimental associated wasps. habitats suffer overexploitation, pollinated perhaps drive population local extinction, enabling maintenance through movement metapopulations).