Macronutrient Regulation in the Tropical Terrestrial Ant Ectatomma ruidum (Formicidae): A Field Study in Costa Rica

abstract

• Using the geometric framework for the first time in a field study of ant nutritional biology, we show that Ectatomma ruidum colonies actively regulate protein-carbohydrate intake, self-selecting a carbohydrate-biased diet. These data, combined with quantitative recruitment data, provide a more comprehensive understanding of colony-level nutritional requirements of ants. 2010 The Author(s). Journal compilation 2009 by The Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation.

authors

• Behmer, Spencer

published proceedings

• BIOTROPICA

author list (cited authors)

• Cook, S. C., & Behmer, S. T.

citation count

• 27

complete list of authors

• Cook, Steven C||Behmer, Spencer T

publication date

• March 2010

publisher

• Wiley  Publisher

published in

• Biotropica  Journal

keywords

• Carbohydrate
• Foraging
• Geometric Framework
• Protein
• Recruitment

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

• 10.1111/j.1744-7429.2009.00616.x

start page

• 135

end page

• 139

volume

• 42

issue

• 2

URL

• http%3A%2F%2Fdx.doi.org%2F10.1111%2Fj.1744-7429.2009.00616.x