A truly symbiotic relationship was discovered in a new study

Nov 6, 2013 13:09 GMT  ·  By

Researchers at the University of Michigan discovered an intricate symbiotic relationship between Ecuador laurel trees and the insects that crowd their barks. Whenever a drought occurs, the plant starts producing more honeydew, a syrupy treat that the insects find endearing.

This causes their numbers to grow, making it more difficult for predators to feed on the trees' leaves. These conclusions lend additional credence to a theory called mutualism, which deals with the interactions that occur between symbiotic species in times of crisis.

Until now, researchers have known that mutualism exists, and that it must work, but were unable to find solid evidence to support their claims. The new study, published in the November 5 online issue of the journal PLoS Biology, was led by University of Michigan ecologist Elizabeth Pringle.

“We show that trees and their defensive ants invest more in one another in drier, more stressful conditions. We saw this happening along the coastline from Mexico to Costa Rica, and then we realized that carbon exchange can explain it,” Pringle explains.