Master Gardeners: Ants and Fungi

Master Gardeners: Ants and Fungi

Description

Leafcutter ants are a type of ant species that are endemic to tropical biomes throughout the regions of South America, Central America, Mexico, and the southern U.S. There are 47 species known, and they have evolved through millions of years of evolution to specialize as farmers.

Yes that is right…they are farmers!

These ants have a mutually symbiotic relationship with a specific species of fungus. They spend their energy gathering leaves from trees surrounding their colony, but they do not eat the leaves themselves. They feed the leaves to the fungus by making compost piles within their nest. Then, they eat the fungus and feed the fungus to their developing offspring!

The ants benefit because they have a nutritious food source from the fungi, and the fungi benefit by being groomed, cleaned, and fed. Additionally, the fungus benefits because it is transported to new colonies by Queen ants, thereby spreading its genes far and wide.

What is also unique about this relationship, is that the ants and fungus have a third mutually symbiotic relationship with bacteria! The ants grow bacteria on their bodies to prevent other fungi from growing and sabotaging their lush fungal garden. The bacteria benefits from this relationship because the ants transport it to new locations and keep it healthy.

What We Can Learn

This is a beautiful example that teaches us that farming is not only a human construct…it is an aspect of nature that is embedded within ecosystem functions. Furthermore, it teaches us that having healthy permaculture practices in our own gardens gives us a stronger connection to the plants and fungi we grow, and we are better off respecting life through a nurturing relationship.

The ants have evolved a way to grow bacteria to keep their colony healthy, and we can also learn from them by using bacteria species for our own natural medicines to keep ourselves healthy.