Foraging Macrotermes natalensis Fungus-Growing Termites Avoid a Mycopathogen but Not an Entomopathogen
Kasun H Bodawatta1,2, Michael Poulsen3, Nick Bos1
1Section for Ecology and Evolution, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, 2100 Copenhagen East, Denmark.
Abstract:
Fungus-growing termites have to defend both themselves and their monoculture fungal cultivars from antagonistic microbes. One of the ways that pathogens can enter the termite colony is on the plant substrate that is collected by termite foragers. In order to understand whether foragers avoid substrate infected with antagonists, we offered sub-colonies of Macrotermes natalensis a choice between food exposed to either a mycopathogenic or an entomopathogenic fungus, and control food. Workers did not show any preference between entomopathogen-exposed and control substrate, but significantly avoided the mycopathogen-exposed substrate. This suggests that the behaviour of foraging workers is more strongly influenced by pathogens affecting their crop than those posing risks to the termite workers themselves.
Insights
Termite foragers avoid plant material contaminated with fungus that harms their crops but not material with fungus that harms termites. This suggests crop protection is a higher priority for foraging behavior.
Area of Science:
- Termite biology
- Insect behavior
- Microbial ecology
Background:
- Fungus-growing termites cultivate fungi for food, creating a monoculture susceptible to pathogens.
- Termites must defend both themselves and their fungal crops from antagonistic microbes.
- Plant substrate collected by foragers is a potential route for pathogen entry into colonies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate whether foraging termite workers avoid plant substrate infected with microbial antagonists.
- To determine if termites differentiate between pathogens affecting their fungal crop versus those affecting their own health.
Main Methods:
- Offered sub-colonies of *Macrotermes natalensis* a choice between three types of food substrate.
- Substrates were: control (unexposed), exposed to an entomopathogenic fungus (risking termite health), or exposed to a mycopathogenic fungus (risking fungal crop health).
Main Results:
- Termite workers showed no significant preference between entomopathogen-exposed and control substrate.
- Workers significantly avoided substrate exposed to the mycopathogenic fungus.
- This indicates a behavioral response biased towards protecting the fungal cultivar.
Conclusions:
- Foraging behavior in *Macrotermes natalensis* is more strongly influenced by pathogens that threaten their fungal crop than by pathogens that pose a direct risk to the termites.
- Termites exhibit selective foraging strategies to mitigate risks to their essential food source.
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