Farming Ants Reveal Evolution Secrets

Biologist Nicole Gerardo gives a tour of the complex world of fungus-growing ants. These gardening insects may provide clues to improving agriculture methods and fighting diseases.

For more, visit http://esciencecommons.blogspot.com/2009/05/farming-ants-reveal-evolution-sec...

The Gerardo Lab: http://www.biology.emory.edu/research/Gerardo/index.html

For more scientific scholarship at Emory, read the eScienceCommons blog: www.emory.edu/esciencecommons

Profile of Nicole Gerardo: http://www.emory.edu/EMORY_REPORT/erarchive/2008/April/April14/ProfileNicoleG...

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Emory
• university
• college
• research
• biology
• Ant
• genome
• genetic
• gene
• society
• fungus
• farm
• agriculture
• leaf-cutter
• evolution
• co-evolution
• ecosystem
• crops
• pathogens
• atta
• complex system
• symbiosis

[Njhawkes1234]

This was spot on what I'm studying now, "Fungi and the origins of agriculture". Very intriguing and incredible.

[HellHound60248]

@williamsinclair101uk These fungus growing ants are leaf-cutting ants. It starts out when a young queen takes a group of drones from the nest to form a new colony. The queen also takes a clump of the fungus from the old nest, Then the drones start setting up the colony and also getting leaves. Then when there's enough leaves, they take the clump and attach it to the leaves. Naturally, the fungus grows. The ants survive. The fungi survive.

Yep, Fungus expands, and ants get food. Partnership.

[williamsinclair101uk]

how do you give a ant fungie?

[gtariman03]

@rubthesleep some species has. like the large species has big queen and smaller species about twice to four times bigger from queen to worker

[rubthesleep]

i didnt know queens were so large!

[Philipp022]

I love Atta spec. :) :) :)

[morse3388]

yeah, much more than my job.

[walkerda5nine]

Very interesting

[Mad3InRomania]

first comment! this vid is great ;)