Data from: Inflorescence size predicts host-symbiont conflict in monoecious fig-wasp mutualisms
Data files
Feb 26, 2025 version files 160.26 KB
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Eggs_all.xlsx
19.39 KB
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Fig_size_ALL.xlsx
27.80 KB
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Flowers_all.xlsx
14.90 KB
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Foundress_all.xlsx
46.74 KB
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head-width_all.xlsx
49.35 KB
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README.md
2.08 KB
Abstract
In monoecious fig-wasp mutualisms (Ficus; ~350 spp.), tiny wasps obligately pollinate fig-tree inflorescences (‘figs’). Although pollination enables seed production wasp symbionts also oviposit into flowers, replacing potential seeds with wasp offspring. Consistently across Ficus, ~40-60% of developed flowers produce seeds. Although several processes are likely involved, a general explanation for why wasps do not exploit more flowers has been elusive. However, inter-specific scaling between host-symbiont reproductive traits suggests that as figs become larger across Ficus, the increase in wasp-eggs-per pollen-receptive fig will fail to match the increase in flower numbers. The potential for wasps to exploit hosts should thus decline due to an increasing excess of flowers. We tested these predictions, which were upheld, using data from 23 fig-wasp mutualisms from four continents. As fig size increases across Ficus, wasp egg-to-flower ratios, a measure of host-symbiont conflict-of-interest, declines, but the likelihood of a wasp egg successfully becoming an adult offspring increases. Host-symbiont conflict-of-interest thus varies systematically across Ficus due to variable relationships between key mutualist reproductive traits and fig size. We suggest that mutualism stability is more dependent upon mechanisms curtailing wasp flower exploitation in systems with small figs, and on preventing high foundress numbers in those with large figs.
https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.547d7wmjw
Description of the data and file structure
For all data sheets, please also refer to the Supplementary Methods. This gives details of data used in the publication that were obtained from literature sources.
Head-width_all
- Fig species – Ficus species to which the wasp species is associated
- Location – sampling location (see Table S1).
- Headwmm – headwidth in millimeters (see Supplementary Methods).
Flowers_all
- Fig species – Ficus spcies from which flowers were counted
- Locality – sampling location (see Table S1).
- Flowers – number of flowers within a fig (see Supplementary Methods).
NB – for F. insipda, F. yoponensis, F. paraensis, F. burkei, F. burt-davyi, F. sur and F. racemosa, data were obtained from literature sources, which are given here. References are provided in full in the Supplementary Methods
Foundress_all
- Species – Ficus species from which foundress wasps within figs were counted (see Supplementary Methods).
- Figno – individual fig for each species from which foundresses were counted
- Foundress – number of foundresses per fig
NB – see Supplementary Methods for references for foundress data taken from the literature.
Fig_size_all
- Species – Ficus species from which fig size data were measured.
- Fig – individual fig for each species from which size data were obtained.
- Figl – fig length (cm). See Supplementary Methods for details.
- Figw – fig width (cm). See Supplementary Methods for details.
- Figvol – fig volume (ml). See Supplementary Methods for details.
Eggs_all
- Location – location from which figs, and hence wasps, were collected
- Host – Ficus host species
- Waspspp – wasp species from which egg count data were obtained
- Eggs – numbers of wasp eggs present within each sampled wasp
Methods are detailed in the published paper.