Foundress number in local ecological factors, not interference competition, drive the foundress number of two species of fig wasp sharing Ficus septica figs

Recent studies have challenged assumptions about the classic fig-fig wasp
pollination mutualism model, suggesting that further investigation into
the receptive phase of fig development is needed. This study assessed the
pollination mechanisms of Ficus septica in southern Taiwan and identified
two species of wasps as the primary pollinators. Machine learning was used
to identify and rank the factors that explain the relative abundance of
these wasps. The two wasp species showed the highest level of cohabitation
ever reported in the literature, with three-quarters of the figs
containing multiple foundresses. The study also reported re-emerged
foundresses and a 10% ratio of pollinated figs without foundresses. Local
factors, such as the sampling period and tree identity, were the best
predictors of the presence and number of each foundress species, with fig
size also affecting the number of foundresses. The study highlights the
variability in pollinator abundance between figs, crops, and trees. It
also shows that the local environment of the trees and the availability of
figs are crucial factors in determining which figs the pollinator wasps
choose. These findings challenge assumptions about the classic mutualism
model and suggest that long-term surveys are needed to estimate the
relative contributions of each partner and provide data for evolutionary
and ecological models. This study also provides valuable insights into the
factors that affect the abundance and interactions of pollinator wasps
during the receptive phase of fig development, with implications for
understanding the behaviour of pollinating wasps and advancing our
knowledge of population dynamics in Ficus species.

近期研究对经典榕树-榕小蜂传粉共生模型的假设提出了挑战，表明需进一步探究榕果发育的接受期。本研究评估了台湾南部七叶榕（Ficus septica）的传粉机制，确定两种榕小蜂为主要传粉者。研究采用机器学习技术识别并排序影响这些榕小蜂相对丰度的因素。这两种榕小蜂的共居水平达到文献记载中的最高值，四分之三的榕果内存在多只建群蜂。研究还发现重新羽化的建群蜂，以及10%的无建群蜂已传粉榕果比例。采样时期、植株个体差异等局部因素是预测各建群蜂物种存在与否及数量的最佳因子，榕果大小也会影响建群蜂数量。研究强调了榕果、批次及植株间传粉者丰度的变异性，还表明植株的局部环境及榕果的可获得性是决定传粉榕小蜂选择哪些榕果的关键因素。这些发现挑战了经典共生模型的假设，并建议需通过长期调查评估共生双方的相对贡献，为进化与生态模型提供数据支持。本研究还为理解榕果发育接受期影响传粉榕小蜂丰度及相互作用的因素提供了宝贵见解，对阐释传粉榕小蜂行为及深化榕树种群动态认知具有重要意义。