Ted Talk Can you figure out the savanna mystery? - Cella Wright

How did big-headed ants likely arrive in Kenya's Laikipia Plateau and what is a key characteristic of their colonies?

• By air, forming small, single-queen colonies.

• On imported produce, forming extensive supercolonies with multiple queens.

• By swimming across the ocean, reproducing only seasonally.

• Through natural migration, having a limited diet of only plants.

What is the nature of the relationship between native acacia ants and whistling thorn acacia trees?

• Parasitic, where ants harm the trees for shelter.

• Competitive, where both ants and trees fight for resources.

• Mutualistic, where trees provide shelter and food, and ants defend the trees.

• Commensal, where ants benefit, but trees are unaffected.

How did the introduction of big-headed ants negatively impact whistling thorn acacia trees?

• They helped the trees grow faster by fertilizing the soil.

• They protected the trees from herbivores more effectively than native ants.

• They decimated native acacia ants, leaving trees vulnerable to herbivores and causing water stress.

• They consumed excess nectar, making the trees healthier.

What was the consequence of the decline in whistling thorn acacia trees on the hunting patterns of East African lions?

• Lions started hunting more zebras due to increased visibility.

• Lions switched from hunting zebras to hunting more dangerous water buffalo.

• Lions became better at ambushing prey in the open grasslands.

• Lions' overall hunting success significantly increased.