Diversity and distribution of extra-floral nectaries in the cerrado savanna vegetation of Brazil.

ABSTRACT: Aim. Throughout evolutionary history, plants and animals have evolved alongside one another. This is especially apparent when considering mutualistic relationships such as between plants with extra-floral nectaries (EFNs, glands on leaves or stems that secrete nectar) and the ants that visit them. Ants are attracted by the nectar and then protect the plant against destructive herbivores. The distribution of these plants is of particular interest, because it can provide insights into the evolutionary history of this unique trait and the plants that possess it. In this study, we investigated factors driving the distribution of woody plants with EFNs in the cerrado vegetation of Brazil. Location. Brazil Methods. We used a database detailing the incidence of 849 plant species at 367 cerrado si

SUBMITTER: Boudouris J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3845873 | biostudies-literature | 2013

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature