Naturalization of the bodhi fig tree (Ficus religiosa L. - Moraceae) in Brazil
Ficus religiosa L. is one of the most valued cultivated ornamental fig trees. Native to Asia, it is known as Bodhi tree. Since fig trees are involved in a highly species-specific pollination mutualism with agaonid wasps, exotic fig species usually fail to produce seeds due to the lack of the specific...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Universidade Federal de Uberlândia
2017-02-01
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| Series: | Bioscience Journal |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.seer.ufu.br/index.php/biosciencejournal/article/view/34177 |
| _version_ | 1818639849509355520 |
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| author | Marcelo Dias Vianna-Filho Ruy José Válka Alves Yan-Qiong Peng Rodrigo Augusto Santinelo Pereira |
| author_facet | Marcelo Dias Vianna-Filho Ruy José Válka Alves Yan-Qiong Peng Rodrigo Augusto Santinelo Pereira |
| author_sort | Marcelo Dias Vianna-Filho |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Ficus religiosa L. is one of the most valued cultivated ornamental fig trees. Native to Asia, it is known as Bodhi tree. Since fig trees are involved in a highly species-specific pollination mutualism with agaonid wasps, exotic fig species usually fail to produce seeds due to the lack of the specific pollinating wasps. Since 2005 we have been observing plantlets of F. religiosa growing on buildings in Rio de Janeiro city, Brazil, showing that this species was hosting pollinating wasps and, consequently, undertaking sexual reproduction outside its native range. We observed that Platyscapa quadraticeps Mayr, 1885, the original pollinator in Asia, was occurring in figs of F. religiosa in Brazil. Considering that several non-pollinating fig wasp species are associated with F. religiosa in its native areas, novel occurrences of wasps may be reported in the future in Brazil. The presence of the native pollinator provides conditions for this exotic tree to become naturalized and/or invasive in Brazil, potentially causing considerable damage to buildings and urban trees. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-16T23:01:55Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-2dd65960587c42119f2cf3b78c66c000 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1981-3163 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-16T23:01:55Z |
| publishDate | 2017-02-01 |
| publisher | Universidade Federal de Uberlândia |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Bioscience Journal |
| spelling | doaj.art-2dd65960587c42119f2cf3b78c66c0002022-12-21T22:12:41ZengUniversidade Federal de UberlândiaBioscience Journal1981-31632017-02-0133110.14393/BJ-v33n1a2017-3417734177Naturalization of the bodhi fig tree (Ficus religiosa L. - Moraceae) in BrazilMarcelo Dias Vianna-FilhoRuy José Válka AlvesYan-Qiong PengRodrigo Augusto Santinelo PereiraFicus religiosa L. is one of the most valued cultivated ornamental fig trees. Native to Asia, it is known as Bodhi tree. Since fig trees are involved in a highly species-specific pollination mutualism with agaonid wasps, exotic fig species usually fail to produce seeds due to the lack of the specific pollinating wasps. Since 2005 we have been observing plantlets of F. religiosa growing on buildings in Rio de Janeiro city, Brazil, showing that this species was hosting pollinating wasps and, consequently, undertaking sexual reproduction outside its native range. We observed that Platyscapa quadraticeps Mayr, 1885, the original pollinator in Asia, was occurring in figs of F. religiosa in Brazil. Considering that several non-pollinating fig wasp species are associated with F. religiosa in its native areas, novel occurrences of wasps may be reported in the future in Brazil. The presence of the native pollinator provides conditions for this exotic tree to become naturalized and/or invasive in Brazil, potentially causing considerable damage to buildings and urban trees.http://www.seer.ufu.br/index.php/biosciencejournal/article/view/34177agaonidaealien speciesfig waspmutualismpollination |
| spellingShingle | Marcelo Dias Vianna-Filho Ruy José Válka Alves Yan-Qiong Peng Rodrigo Augusto Santinelo Pereira Naturalization of the bodhi fig tree (Ficus religiosa L. - Moraceae) in Brazil Bioscience Journal agaonidae alien species fig wasp mutualism pollination |
| title | Naturalization of the bodhi fig tree (Ficus religiosa L. - Moraceae) in Brazil |
| title_full | Naturalization of the bodhi fig tree (Ficus religiosa L. - Moraceae) in Brazil |
| title_fullStr | Naturalization of the bodhi fig tree (Ficus religiosa L. - Moraceae) in Brazil |
| title_full_unstemmed | Naturalization of the bodhi fig tree (Ficus religiosa L. - Moraceae) in Brazil |
| title_short | Naturalization of the bodhi fig tree (Ficus religiosa L. - Moraceae) in Brazil |
| title_sort | naturalization of the bodhi fig tree ficus religiosa l moraceae in brazil |
| topic | agaonidae alien species fig wasp mutualism pollination |
| url | http://www.seer.ufu.br/index.php/biosciencejournal/article/view/34177 |
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