From Foragers to Farmers: The Fascinating Evolution of Ant Fungus-Farming

🐜Leaf-cutter ants have been farming fungi for millions of years, sustaining their colonies with a reliable source of food.

🍄The agricultural relationship between ants and fungi emerged after a devastating extinction event.

🌱Some ants have become completely dependent on fungi for survival, unable to produce an important amino acid called arginine on their own.

🌍The emergence of ant fungus-farming coincided with periods of global environmental change.

🌿Leaf-cutter ants represent the pinnacle of ant fungus-farming, with complex colonies, sophisticated hygiene practices, and a diet exclusively composed of fresh plant material.

How do leaf-cutter ants use the leaves they collect?

—Leaf-cutter ants use the leaves to feed the gardens of fungi that they cultivate in their colonies. The fungi serve as their primary source of food.

What is the difference between lower agriculture and higher agriculture in ant fungus-farming?

—Lower agriculture refers to the practice where the fungi are not fully dependent on the ants and can survive without them. Higher agriculture, on the other hand, involves a complete dependency of the fungi on the ants for survival.

When did the agricultural relationship between ants and fungi first emerge?

—The agricultural relationship between ants and fungi is believed to have emerged around 66 million years ago, after a devastating extinction event.

How do leaf-cutter ants protect their fungal crops from disease?

—Leaf-cutter ants have sophisticated hygiene practices within their colonies to protect their fungal crops from disease. They even have bacteria on their bodies that produce antimicrobial compounds.

Why do leaf-cutter ants exclusively collect fresh plant material?

—Leaf-cutter ants source only the finest, freshest biomass for their fungal gardens. This is because they have evolved to rely on the nutritional value of fresh plant material.

00:00Leaf-cutter ants have been farming fungi for millions of years.

04:46The emergence of ant fungus-farming coincided with a devastating extinction event.

05:33Some ants have become completely dependent on fungi for survival.

06:08The agricultural relationship between ants and fungi underwent changes over time.

07:27Leaf-cutter ants represent the pinnacle of ant fungus-farming.