The Interdependence of Plants
Ants and Acacia
Without the herds of herbivores to eat the Acacia trees, the Acacia trees suffer the loss of ant population they house.
The Acacia tree is the iconic shrubs of the East African Savanna.
The Acacia tree houses many creatures and provides a local food source for the insects to elephants to zebras. Theres an beneficial contract for the Acacia tree and the few species of ants, they exchange food for housing.
Scientist have done research on an certain acacia, called the Whistling Acacia, normally it will create small ant houses for in the thorns, where the sweet nectar is being excreted, the ants will eat the nectar aswell as guard it.
But it was found that the acacias are likely to provide a home to another type of ant species who don't defend the nectar and will attract a beetle species pest.
By the turn of events it makes it twice as likely to die, when they are an local food source for giraffes, elephants and other large African herbivores.
The Whistling Acacia is the only know species of acacia in Africa that relies on ants to protect the nectar, as other species have thorns or an chemical defense.
If the disappearance of the Whistling Acacia there will be decrease number of elephants, giraffes, zebras and other herbivores or even extinction.
The Acacia tree is the iconic shrubs of the East African Savanna.
The Acacia tree houses many creatures and provides a local food source for the insects to elephants to zebras. Theres an beneficial contract for the Acacia tree and the few species of ants, they exchange food for housing.
Scientist have done research on an certain acacia, called the Whistling Acacia, normally it will create small ant houses for in the thorns, where the sweet nectar is being excreted, the ants will eat the nectar aswell as guard it.
But it was found that the acacias are likely to provide a home to another type of ant species who don't defend the nectar and will attract a beetle species pest.
By the turn of events it makes it twice as likely to die, when they are an local food source for giraffes, elephants and other large African herbivores.
The Whistling Acacia is the only know species of acacia in Africa that relies on ants to protect the nectar, as other species have thorns or an chemical defense.
If the disappearance of the Whistling Acacia there will be decrease number of elephants, giraffes, zebras and other herbivores or even extinction.