Fig. 2. Adult ants maintain cultures of white bacteria on their exoskeletons. These bacteria slough off and get sprinkled around the fungus-garden where they serve as a defense against invading fungi. Here, there is a food-for-protection trade-off between the bacteria and the ants. In exchange for protecting the fungus-garden from invaders, the bacteria literally feed on the ants. Within the fungus-garden community, there are four discrete trophic levels: 1) plant material, 2) the herbivorous fungus, 3) the ants that feed on the fungus, and 4) the bacteria that feed on the ants. Photo courtesy Don Parsons.
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