ProNut (Reconsidering protective ant-plant mutualisms from a nutritional perspective) is a project selected in the 2014 CEBA annual call of proposals.
LabEx CEBA : What led you to Ecology ?
Jérôme Orivel : I did a master’s degree in behavioral biology and a PhD at the University Paris 13 under the direction of Alain Dejean* where I had the opportunity to start working on the model of ants and especially the interactions between plants and ants. Then, I did a post-doctorate in the chemical ecology laboratory of the University of Tel Aviv based on the venom of ants in Africa. After that, I took the CNRS entrance exam and I joined the UMR EDB** in Toulouse where I continued my research on the ecology of ants in French Guiana. Then, in 2010, I requested my reassignment in Guiana, at the UMR Ecofog*** which allows me to be on my research fieldwork.
L.C. : What is your research topic?
J.O. : My main theme is about the functioning and evolution of plants/ants interactions. Besides, I’m working on three other themes: i) Structure of ant communities, particularly through the CEBA strategic project “Diadema”**** ; ii) Effect of urbanization of ecosystem on ecosystem processes in which ants are involved, as part of a PhD funded by the CEBA and conducted by Alex Salas-Lopez and iii) Diversity and biochemistry of venom peptides of ant, as part of an FEDER project led by Alain Dejean and a PhD by Axel Touchard.
L.C. : In which scientific issue Mustard project is included?
J.O. : The ProNut project is part of my main theme of research on plant / ants interactions. These associations are mainly considered as protective mutualisms: the plant is protected from plant-eating insects, pathogens or competing species by ants. But there are not that protective mechanisms involved. Sometimes, the plant gets dietary intake via waste ants fostering its growth. This is called “myrmécotrophie”. Also, fungi may play a role in this process by promoting the uptake and recovery of minerals by the plant being in cell contact therewith. Other microorganisms such as bacteria, nematodes etc. would also be potentially involved in the transfer of nutrients ants / plants. Several plants, called “ant plant” have developed structures to accommodate one or two species of ants. Among the “ant plants” that can be found in Guiana, for example there is plant species Cecropia, or Hirtella physophora. They each house some species of ants specifically connected, respectively into tree trunk cavities or in the two foliar pockets. The project objective is to determine the importance of “myrmécotrophie” in these interactions quantifying the assimiliation of minerals according to the associated partners.
L.C. : Why is Guiana an exceptional site for anchoring your project?
J.O. : French Guiana has a very wide variety of plants to ants to develop these comparative approaches. In addition, previous work has been conducted on ants in Guiana, allowing not start from “0”. Moreover, being in France, it is easier to access and to work in comparison with other regions of the world. Finally, the CEBA is located in Guiana. Everything converges toward putting this project in Guiana.
L.C. : How this project is innovative for research on tropical terrestrial biodiversity?
J.O. : This project is innovative in its scientific process. Indeed, we are interested in a mutualism which was mainly considered as based on the protection afforded by the ants and not on nutrition. So we hope to reveal the importance of this process in the operation of these plants / ant interactions.
L.C. : The project involves people of other disciplines than yours?
J.O. : The four main people involved in the project : Céline Leroy (IRD/AMAP*****), Raphaël Boulay (IRBI******), Fréderic Petitclerc (CNRS/Ecofog) engineer assistant and myself are all interested in ecology.
L.C. : What will be the impact of your project for society?
J.O. : This is basic research and scientific breakthrough, so with a production of knowledge for society.
L.C. : What are your thoughts on the CEBA added value ?
J.O. : CEBA is interesting because it brings together the majority of researchers who conduct research on Amazonian biodiversity in Guiana. It also provides a broad basis for the research being done in Guiana. It gives visibility to the research of these researchers and labeling. Finally, it helps to fund projects and theses.
* Alain Dejean: Professor at the University Paul Sabatier Toulouse III and associate research scientist with the Laboratoire EcoFoG, known for his work on the social behavior of ants.
** UMR EDB: Evolution and Biological Diversity laboratory
*** UMR Ecofog: Ecology of Guiana Rainforest
**** Strategic Project “Diadema”: see listings of projects on the CEBA intranet
***** UMR AMAP: Joint Research Unit (UMR) for plant architecture, specialised in botany and bioinformatics ( bot A nique et bioinfor M atique de l’ A rchitecture des P lantes )
****** IRBI: Institute for Research on Insect Biology, CNRS / François-Rabelais de Tours University
