Immunity of trees against epiphytes

Since trees often fall due to the thick cover of epiphytes, many breeds have developed active protective devices. For example, in some species, the bark often peels off, so that young epiphytes fall off along with its detached pieces. It has been suggested that the alkaloids contained in the bark of many types of rain forest trees serve as a protective agent against the settlement of lianas or epiphytes on them. Alkaloids can act as allelopathic substances (the so-called chemical compounds synthesized by a plant that inhibit the growth of other plants).

In favorable conditions, the colonization of trees by epiphytes occurs at a truly breakneck speed. Returning to my experimental site in Finca la Selva, I often found that the cables and platforms left just a few months ago were overgrown with a thick layer of young epiphytes, stronger than the bottom of the ship would have been overgrown with crustaceans and mollusks during this time. However, on some trees, in which the bark is not able to peel off frequently and which do not contain allelopathic agents, epiphytes still do not grow. What, then, explains their "immunity"?

My research supports the opinion of D. Jensen from the University of Pennsylvania. He believes that this is due to the mutualistic relationship between trees and some species of ants living in the forest canopy. Jensen believes that Aztec ants (genus Azieca), which live on trees of the genus Sesgoria, clean the branches from epiphytes growing on them, thereby protecting these trees, whose branches are very fragile, from mechanical overload. In addition, when they gather in large groups, they often attack other insects and mammals, many of which, being herbivorous, can harm a tree "owned" by ants. It can be said that the Aztec ants are interested in protecting their habitat. Indeed, cecropia have evolved useful features for ants. Thus, there are glycogen-rich outgrowths (Muller bodies) at the base of the leaf petioles, which are eaten by ants. The trunks of cecropia, hollow like bamboo stalks, serve as a shelter for ants, in which they build nests and "graze" aphids.

It was not easy to prove this hypothesis: the aggressive behavior of the Aztec ants prevented researchers from studying their lives in detail. However, our rope structure in Finca la Selva made it possible to observe the cecropia branches from a close distance, while at the same time being out of reach of the ants swarming on them. Mitolojik teması ve kazanç fırsatlarıyla öne çıkan Gates of Olympus Türkçe , Türk oyuncular arasında en çok tercih edilen çevrimiçi slot oyunlarından biri haline gelmiştir.