6-sycamore fig tree Flashcards

1
Q
  • where is it located?
  • how many figs are produced?
  • why are fig wasps crucial?
A
  • tropical africa
  • 100,000
  • to pollinate tree for reproduction
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2
Q

what attracts F fig wasps to the tree and what do they do at this point

A
  • perfume of microscopic flowers
  • enter fig
  • pollinate microscopic flowers
  • lay eggs in figs
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3
Q

what happens when F fig wasps pollinate the microscopic flowers?

A

some become seeds and others a nursery for wasps

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4
Q

how do grey hornbills interact with the tree? (3)

A
  • nest inside hollow trunk
  • after rains is flood of insects to feed on
  • chick with highest survival chance eats first taking most food at cost of other chicks
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5
Q

give a grazing threat to the tree

A

giraffes eat leaves and figs + if too many tree will abort figs

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6
Q
  • how does the tree counter animals eating its leaves and figs?
  • how do fig longhorn beetles respond
  • how do katydids respond?
  • how do bees use this?
A

a foul tasting latex is produced

  • eat leaves to stop latex flow
  • cut off leaves to stop flow
  • bees collect latex rubber for nest
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7
Q

what are parasitic wasps and what do they do? (2)

A
  • attack figs + deposit eggs with long ovipositor

- eggs hatch inside fig to kill other wasps

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8
Q

what do wasps smaller than parasitic wasps do?

A

parasitise these wasps

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9
Q

what do nematodes inside wasps do?

A

eat F fig wasps alive

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10
Q

how may parasitic wasps die?

A

if no M fig wasps survive in fig as parasitic wasps need them for their escape

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11
Q

how do ants act as a potential ally to the tree?

A
  • bite, sting + kill parasites
  • look after hilda nymphs
  • nymphs access sap from figs + as they do this ants gain some honeydew
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12
Q

what is an issue with ants as an ally?

A

they also eat emerging fig wasps that the tree needs as cant distinguish between fig and parasitic wasps

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13
Q

give 5 stages about what M fig wasps do

A
  • hatch inside fig + cut through galls of F
  • impregnate F before she has hatched
  • cut anther of flowers inside fig
  • dig out tunnel in fig to release F from fig but die
  • F covered in pollen they have collected follow tunnel to escape and complete their mission
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14
Q

give 3 risks to emerging fig wasps

A
  • ants
  • geckos
  • spiders
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15
Q

how far can the hundreds of emerging fig wasps travel?

A

> 100km

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16
Q

what will the F that have fled do?

A
  • find new trees
  • squeeze into figs down to the flowers
  • fertilise flowers to repay debt to the tree
  • lay eggs before death
17
Q

what happens to the tree after the wasps have fled?

A

figs ripen and fruit randomly several times a year, benefiting many species

18
Q

who eats the figs?

A
  • > 100 species bird
  • elephants (seeds dispersed by dung)
  • humans
  • butterflies (feed on alcohol produced as figs ferment)
  • catfish (some fall into the water)
  • fruit bats
19
Q

other than for food how do humans use the sycamore tree?

A
  • wood for fire
  • bees nest in hollow trunks and human extract the honey
  • humans use smoke from wood to trigger bees instinct to flee from fire
20
Q

how do fruit bats disperse the seeds?

A
  • eat 1/2 weight in fruit pulp
  • carry fig away to eat
  • suck juice and discard seeds