Biotic defense data of ants feeding on artificial nectars with different nutritional qualities

We selected 40 individual plants of Vochysia elliptica Mart. (Vochysiaceae). On each plant, we arbitrarily placed five artificial nectaries, one on the main branch (trunk) and other four on the medial part of different secondary branches (between the trunk and the apex). We established four resource treatments with ten plants assigned to each: sucrose - solution of 30% sucrose; amino acids â solution of 3% amino acids (1% glutamine, 1% proline, and 1% threonine); sucrose + amino acids â solution with 20% sucrose + 3% amino acids (same amino acids as in the A treatment); and filtered water as a control. So, in each plant we placed one live termite of the species Nasutitermes coxipoensis, to evaluate the biotic defense provided by ants. The termite was released on the apex of the secondary branch most distant from the trunk, so it could move freely around the plant. We observed each termite for 30 min, recording ant recruitment to the host plant in every 5 min, the number of ants that interacted with the termite, and the antsâ behavior towards the termite. We considered an ant-termite interaction to be an attack when the ant injured or consumed the termite, and a touch when the ant touched the termite with its antennae without injuring it. The outcome was considered neutral when the ant did not interact with the termite. We stopped observing the ants after 30 min or when the termite was consumed, left the plant, or fell from the plant due to vibrations caused by wind or ant attacks. To measure biotic defense, we calculated the following metrics during each observation event: encounter rate, attack rate, exclusion success, efficiency of exclusion and minimum time to encounter. Further details regarding this dataset can be found in the manuscript: