Ant–plant interactions

Publications

Chanam, J., Borges, R.M. (2017).
Cauline domatia of the ant-plant Humboldtia brunonis (Fabaceae).
Flora 236:58–66.

Chanam, J., Kasinathan, S., Pramanik, G.K., Jagdeesh, A., Joshi, K.A., Borges, R.M. (2015).
Foliar extrafloral nectar of Humboldtia brunonis (Fabaceae), a paleotropical ant-plant, is richer than phloem sap and more attractive than honeydew.
Biotropica 47:1–5.

Chanam, J., Sheshshayee, M.S., Kasinathan, S., Jagdeesh, A., Joshi, K.A., Borges, R.M. (2014).
Nutritional benefits from domatia inhabitants in an ant–plant interaction: interlopers do pay the rent.
Functional Ecology 28:1107–1116 [Paper was featured in New Scientist].

Chanam, J., Kasinathan, S., Pramanik, G.K., Jagdeesh, A., Joshi, K.A., Borges, R.M. (2014).
Context dependency of rewards and services in an Indian ant– plant interaction: southern sites favour the mutualism between plants and ants.
Journal of Tropical Ecology 30:219–229.

Shenoy, M., Radhika, V., Satish, S., Borges, R.M. (2012).
Composition of extrafloral nectar influences interactions between the myrmecophyte Humboldtia brunonis and its ant associates.
Journal of Chemical Ecology 38:88–99.

Shenoy, M., Borges, R.M. (2010).
Geographical variation in an ant–plant interaction correlates with domatia occupancy, local ant diversity and interlopers.
Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 100:538–551.

Dev, S.A., Shenoy, M., Borges, R.M. (2010).
Genetic and clonal diversity of the endemic ant-plant Humboldtia brunonis (Fabaceae) in the Western Ghats of India.
Journal of Biosciences 35:267–279.

Shenoy, M., Borges, R.M. (2008).
A novel mutualism between an ant-plant and its resident pollinator.
Naturwissenschaften 95:61–65.

Gaume, L., Shenoy, M., Zacharias, M., Borges, R.M. (2006).
Co-existence of ants and an arboreal earthworm in a myrmecophyte of the Indian Western Ghats: anti-predation effect of the earthworm mucus.
Journal of Tropical Ecology 22:1–4.

Gaume, L., Zacharias, M., Grosbois, V., Borges, R.M. (2005).
The fitness consequences of bearing domatia and having the right ant partner: experiments with protective and non-protective ants in a semi-myrmecophyte.
Oecologia 145:76–86.

Gaume, L., Zacharias, M., Borges, R. M. (2005).
Ant–plant conflicts and a novel case of castration parasitism in a myrmecophyte.
Evolutionary Ecology Research 7:435–452.

Michener, C.D., Borges, R.M., Zacharias, M., Shenoy, M. (2003).
A new parasitic bee of the genus Braunsapis from India (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Allodapini).
Journal of the Kansas Entomological Society 76:518–522.

Ant–plant interactions

People

Principal Investigator

Renee M. Borges