Interference competition and high temperatures reduce the virulence of fig wasps and stabilize a fig-wasp mutualism.
Fig trees are pollinated by fig wasps, which also oviposit in female flowers. The wasp larvae gall and eat developing seeds. Although fig trees benefit from allowing wasps to oviposit, because the wasp offspring disperse pollen, figs must prevent wasps from ovipositing in all flowers, or seed produc...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Public Library of Science (PLoS)
2009-11-01
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| Series: | PLoS ONE |
| Online Access: | http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC2771911?pdf=render |