Art of Science 2013 Online Gallery
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Morning meal
Chhaya Werner '14
Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Tropical rain forests have been called the "jewels of the earth" due to
the rich diversity found in their flora and fauna. La Selva Biological
Station in Costa Rica is a preserve where scientists conduct research
on the rain forest's role in world ecology. Ants of many species enjoy
nectar produced by Inga thibaudiana, a relatively small tree found in
the La Selva area. This nectar does not come from flowers, but from
nectaries, little bowl-shaped structures growing between leaflets (or
little leaves). In this photograph, you see two ants drinking from the
nectaries. The ant-tree relationship is mutually beneficial. In return
for the food, the ants protect young leaves from leaf-eating insects,
fungi, and encroaching vines.
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