MONOTERPENE AND SESQUITERPENE VARIATION IN PINUS-CARIBAEA NEEDLES AND ITS RELATIONSHIP TO ATTA-LAEVIGATA HERBIVORY

The relationship between terpene content in Pinus caribaea needles and Atta laevigata herbivory was examined. Analysis of newly defoliated (foraged) pines revealed that the concentrations of myrcene and caryophyllene were lower than in undefoliated (non-foraged) trees. Four months later, the same defoliated pines were found to contain larger concentrations of alpha-cubebene, alpha-copaene, gamma-muurolene, beta-cadinene, and smaller amounts of myrcene than the previously sampled undefoliated trees. Intraspecific terpene variation may play an important role in pine selectivity by leafcutter ants and it is also possible that defoliation might induce changes in the terpene composition of pine needles.