Your path towards ecological understanding

Bark beetle competition with its own ‘mutualist’

January 24, 2018 Philip Pinzone

Beetles represent 40% of all the insects, and 25% of all the animals living on Earth today.

Beetles are the most diverse group of insects in the world. They have been interacting with the forest floor since the Carboniferous, more than 300 million years ago. With this long period of time, one can see why so many evolutionary relationships have occurred since they made their way on to Earth's terrestrial scene.

Leafcutter damage reduced by the presence of fungal endophytes

January 17, 2018 Philip Pinzone

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&n… — *Atta colombica.*

Leafcutter ant selection drives community assembly in the American tropics.

How bird predation is enhanced by forest fungi

November 30, 2017 Philip Pinzone

A banded Accipiter gentilis adult, a voracious predator. — A banded *Accipiter gentilis* adult, a voracious predator.

The forest floor interacts with the avian realm in unsuspecting ways. Keratinophilic fungi play an influential role by shaping bird prey-predator interactions.

Parasitism of Pollen

November 22, 2017 Philip Pinzone

Different fungi penetrating pollen from Pinus nigra. 1.) Bjerkandera adusta 2.) Cantharellula umbonata 3.) Coprinus comatus 4.) Cyathus stercoreus. In Hutchison and Barron 1997. — Different fungi penetrating pollen from *Pinus nigra*. 1.) *Bjerkandera adusta* 2.) *Cantharellula umbonata* 3.) *Coprinus comatus* 4.) *Cyathus stercoreus*. In Hutchison and Barron 1997.

Find out how this type of “parasitism” may actually benefit plant communities.

“Defensive mixology,” an ant mechanism used to reduce pathogens

November 9, 2017 Philip Pinzone

Top ant cadaver covered in pathogen

 
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 &n… — Top ant cadaver covered in pathogen *Metarhizium brunneum.*

Tree resins evolved to reduce fungal, bacterial and insect pathogens and parasites. This new research shows that these properties are not only harnessed by wood ants, but actively enhanced through the application of two acids the ants produce.