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The world of ecology, from the forest floor.

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Your path towards ecological understanding

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.

Ecological black holes; accessing the function of leafcutter ants

June 28, 2017 Philip Pinzone

The large in-focus ant with robust mandibles is a worker of the Mediae cast. Mediae workers do most of the heavy lifting, cutting and carrying plant tissue great distances to the fungal garden. The smaller two ants (Minors) are on patrol, defending … — The large in-focus ant with robust mandibles is a worker of the Mediae cast. Mediae workers do most of the heavy lifting, cutting and carrying plant tissue great distances to the fungal garden. The smaller two ants (Minors) are on patrol, defending the larger Madiae worker from parasitic phorid flies. So no, these smaller ants aren't just getting a free ride. They are working too.

Learn how the some of the largest colonies on earth farm fungi and act as ecological black holes.