Ants have evolved to farm plants on at least 15 separate occasions

2 years ago 99

Many taxon of tree-living ants cultivate plants that turn connected trees either for nutrient oregon shelter, but determination is simply a statement implicit whether the signifier should beryllium considered agriculture

Life 10 November 2022

By Michael Le Page

Ant connected  a tiny  plant

Philidris cordata ants person a symbiotic narration with Hydnophytum formicarum plants

Emanuele Biggi / naturepl.com

The cultivation of plants by ants is much wide than antecedently realised, and has evolved connected astatine slightest 15 abstracted occasions.

There are much than 200 taxon of ants successful the Americas that workplace fungi for food, but this trait evolved conscionable erstwhile sometime betwixt 45 cardinal and 65 cardinal years ago. Biologists respect the cultivation of fungi by ants arsenic existent agriculture agelong predating quality agriculture due to the fact that it meets 4 criteria: the ants works the fungus, attraction for …

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