Plants secrete extrafloral nectar (EFN) as an induced defense against herbivores. EFN
contains not only carbohydrates and amino acids but also pathogenesis-related proteins …

It has been known for centuries that floral and extra-floral nectar secreted by plants attracts
and rewards animals. Extra-floral nectar is involved in so-called indirect defense by …

Environmental impacts of conventional agriculture have generated interest in sustainable
agriculture. Biological pest control is a fundamental tool, and ants are key players providing …

All mutualistic plant–animal interactions are mediated by costs and benefits in relationships
where resources (from plants) are exchanged by services (from animals). The most common …

Abstract Background and Aims Ant–plant associations are widely diverse and distributed
throughout the world, leading to complex ecological networks. Regarding ant–plant …

The net outcomes of mutualisms are mediated by the trade-offs between the costs and
benefits provided by both partners. Our review proposes the existence of a trade-off in ant …

Indirect plant defense is an important component in regulating population dynamics and the
structure of numerous communities in different ecosystems. These defenses mainly involve …

Ants and plants bearing extrafloral nectaries (EFNs) are among the most abundant
interacting organisms in the Neotropics, being considered excellent models for studies of …

Ants are a very diverse taxonomic group. They display remarkable social organization that
has enabled them to be ubiquitous throughout the world. They make up approximately 10 …

Extrafloral nectar (EFN) provides plants with indirect defence against herbivores by
attracting predatory insects, predominantly ants. Decades of research have supported the …