Foundress number in local ecological factors, not interference competition, drive the foundress number of two species of fig wasp sharing Ficus septica figs
Data files
Aug 23, 2023 version files 38.24 KB
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alltrees4.xlsx
36.19 KB
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README.md
2.06 KB
Aug 23, 2023 version files 38.25 KB
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alltrees4.xlsx
36.19 KB
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README.md
2.06 KB
Abstract
Recent studies have challenged assumptions about the classic fig-fig wasp pollination mutualism model, suggesting that further investigation into the receptive phase of fig development is needed. This study assessed the pollination mechanisms of Ficus septica in southern Taiwan and identified two species of wasps as the primary pollinators. Machine learning was used to identify and rank the factors that explain the relative abundance of these wasps. The two wasp species showed the highest level of cohabitation ever reported in the literature, with three-quarters of the figs containing multiple foundresses. The study also reported re-emerged foundresses and a 10% ratio of pollinated figs without foundresses. Local factors, such as the sampling period and tree identity, were the best predictors of the presence and number of each foundress species, with fig size also affecting the number of foundresses. The study highlights the variability in pollinator abundance between figs, crops, and trees. It also shows that the local environment of the trees and the availability of figs are crucial factors in determining which figs the pollinator wasps choose. These findings challenge assumptions about the classic mutualism model and suggest that long-term surveys are needed to estimate the relative contributions of each partner and provide data for evolutionary and ecological models. This study also provides valuable insights into the factors that affect the abundance and interactions of pollinator wasps during the receptive phase of fig development, with implications for understanding the behaviour of pollinating wasps and advancing our knowledge of population dynamics in Ficus species.
##GENERAL INFORMATION
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Title of Dataset: Foundress number in Local ecological factors, not interference competition, drive the foundress number of two species of fig wasp sharing Ficus septica figs
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Author Information
Name: Anthony Bain
Institution: National Sun Yat-sen University
Address: Kaohsiung, Taiwan
Email: anthonybain22@mail.nsysu.edu.tw -
Date of data collection (single date, range, approximate date): 2018-2021
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Geographic location of data collection: National Sun Yat-sen University Campus
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Licenses/restrictions placed on the data: CC0 1.0 Universal (CC0 1.0) Public Domain
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Links to publications that cite or use the data:
Di Giusto, B., and A. Bain. 2023. Local ecological factors, not interference competition, drive the foundress number of two species of fig wasp sharing Ficus septica figs. PLoS ONE. 10.1371/journal.pone.0290439
- Recommended citation for this dataset:
Bain A. (2023). Foundress number in Local ecological factors, not interference competition, drive the foundress number of two species of fig wasp sharing Ficus septica figs. Dryad Digital Repository. 10.5061/dryad.2v6wwpztw
Description of the data and file structure
Number of Ceratosolen pollinating foundress wasps in Ficus septica figs and asssociated characteristics.
Excel file with a line corresponding to a fig.
Column A: Name - ALL; Data - Total number of wasp foundresses (Sum of columns A and B)
Column B: Name - ORA; Data - Number of orange morphospecies foundresses
Column C: Name - BLA; Data - Number of black morphospecies foundresses
Column D: Name - ID; Data - Tree identification number
Column E: Name - SEX; Data - Sex of the sampled tree
Column F: Name - MONTH; Data - Sampling month
Column G: Name - SEASON; Data - Sampling season (Winter in DEC, JAN, FEB; Spring in MAR, APR, MAY; Summer in JUN, JUL, AUG; and Fall in SEP, OCT, NOV)
Column H: Name - YEAR; Data - Sampling year
Column I: Name - SURF; Data - The surface of the sampled calculated from two diameter measurements (proxy for size)
See "Local ecological factors, not interference competition, drive the foundress number of two species of fig wasp sharing Ficus septica figs" authored by Bruno DI GIUSTO and Anthony BAIN on Plos One (2023) for methods.