蚂蚁-蚜虫共栖互作的研究进展

Research progress of the commensal interaction between ants and aphids

物种互作是生态学、生物地理学等领域的研究热点。蚂蚁对半翅目(Hemiptera)昆虫进行“放牧饲养”,是无脊椎动物中最为常见的,以安全保障换取营养物质的互惠性生物互作现象。普遍认为,蚜虫通过刺吸式口器从植物的韧皮部和木质部吸取汁液,并排泄出一种称为蜜露的富含糖分的代谢废物,而蚂蚁则可以收集和利用这种蜜露;作为交换,蚂蚁保护蚜虫免受捕食者的侵害。然而,实际上蚂蚁和蚜虫之间的关系非常复杂,不仅仅是简单的互惠共生。因此,本文综述了蚂蚁-蚜虫共栖互作关系,包括(1)共栖关系属性(共生还是捕食,专性互作还是兼性互作)、起源和双方适应性演化的表现;(2)共栖关系的信息交流方式;(3)对双方适应性的影响;(4)生态效应(与生物和非生物因素的联系);(5)与人类活动的联系。最后,对蚂蚁-蚜虫共栖互作关系进行系统性评估,并对未来该方向在多样性调查、进化生物学、分子机制、互作网络和城市化效应方面的研究进行展望。本综述将有助于对蚂蚁-蚜虫共栖互作的基本属性、演化过程、维持机制、生态效应以及影响因素有更全面、具体的认识。

Species interaction is a research hotspot in the fields of ecology and biogeography.Ants’grazing and feeding of hemipteran insects is the most common phenomenon among invertebrates,a reciprocal biological interaction in which nutrients are exchanged for security.It is thought that aphids suck sap from the phloem and xylem of plants through piercing-sucking mouthparts and excrete a sugar-rich waste product called honeydew,which ants collect and use.In exchange,the ants protect the aphids from predators.However,the relationship between ants and aphids is more complex than a simple mutualism.Therefore,in this article the commensal interactions between ants and aphids were reviewed,including(1)the properties of commensal relationships(symbiosis or predation,obligate interaction or facultative interaction),origin,and adaptive evolution of both;(2)information exchange methods for commensal relationships;(3)the impact on the adaptability of both parties;(4)ecological effects(links to biological and abiotic factors);and(5)links with human activities.Finally,a systematic evaluation of the ant-aphid commensal interaction was conducted,and future studies on the diversity investigation,evolutionary biology,molecular mechanisms,interaction networks,and urbanization effects were prospected.This review will contribute to a more comprehensive and specific understanding of the basic properties,evolutionary processes,maintenance mechanisms,ecological effects,and influencing factors of ant-aphid commensal interactions.