DOI: 10.5061/dryad.pvmcvdngv
title: Contrasting patterns of fig wasp communities along Mt. Wilhelm, Papua New Guinea

description: The fig (Moraceae) and pollinating fig wasp (Agaonidae) mutualism is best
 known as a model system for the study of coevolution in plant-pollinator
 interactions and its central role in shaping vertebrate communities in
 tropical forests. Figs also host myriad antagonistic parasitic fig wasps
 which impose costs on both partners threatening mutualism stability.
 Spatio-temporal variation in parasitic wasp abundance is a key factor in
 mitigating these effects. Because fig wasps are temperature sensitive and
 likely vary in their ability to traverse environmental gradients, we
 expect community assemblages and abundance of both pollinating and
 non-pollinating fig wasps to respond to changes along an elevational
 gradient. In the present study, we compare the fig wasp communities and
 the abundance of three fig species growing along the slopes of the Mount
 Wilhelm altitudinal gradient in Papua New Guinea. We quantified wasps from
 over 100 male fig trees and calculated seed sets for 55 female trees along
 each of the species’ distribution on the transect. Our results show that
 the abundance of both pollinating and non-pollinating fig wasps follow a
 mid-elevation peak, consistent with fig species richness found in the same
 transect. The patterns, however, are different according to the host’s
 species distribution. The seed set remained relatively constant along the
 gradient for all species with some decrease along higher elevations,
 potentially affecting connectivity along the gradient. As suggested for
 insects in general, temperature and habitat diversity appear to play a
 fundamental role in the species richness and abundance of fig wasps.
description: Figs were collected along the Mount Wilhelm elevational gradient
 in Papua New Guinea. Figs were harvested during C phase where fig-wasps
 are developed but not yet emerging from the syconia. Figs were dissected
 and wasps within sorted and identified manually.
description: # Contrasting Patterns of fig wasp communities along Mt. Wilhelm, Papua
 New Guinea
 [https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.pvmcvdngv](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.pvmcvdngv) The fig (Moraceae) and pollinating fig wasp (Agaonidae) mutualism is best known as a model system for the study of coevolution in plant-pollinator interactions and its central role in shaping vertebrate communities in tropical forests. Figs also host myriad antagonistic parasitic fig wasps which impose costs on both partners threatening mutualism stability. Spatio-temporal variation in parasitic wasp abundance is a key factor in mitigating these effects. Because fig wasps are temperature sensitive and likely vary in their ability to traverse environmental gradients, we expect community assemblages and abundance of both pollinating and non-pollinating fig wasps to respond to changes along an elevational gradient. In the present study, we compare the fig wasp communities and abundance of three fig species growing along the slopes of the Mount Wilhelm altitudinal gradient in Papua New Guinea. We quantified wasps from over 100 male fig trees and calculated seed set for 55 female trees along each of the species’ distribution on the transect. Our results show that the abundance of both pollinating and non-pollinating fig wasps follow a mid-elevation peak, consistent with fig species richness found in the same transect. The patterns, however, are different according to the host’s species distribution. Seed set remained relatively constant along the gradient for all species with some decrease along higher elevations, potentially affecting connectivity along the gradient. As suggested for insects in general, temperature and habitat diversity appear to play a fundamental role in the species richness and abundance of fig wasps. ## Description of the data and file structure This file contains the data set used for the above-mentioned manuscript. Please refer to the methods section of the article for information of how the data was collected and analyzed. First tab contains dissection data for both male and female figs for raw wasp and seed counts. Following tabs include data from reared male figs for pollinator and non-pollinating fig-wasp counts and identification to morphospecies. Empty cells indicate that no wasps of that species were found within the dissected syconia. First tab (**Info**) includes general information regarding the dataset. Second tab - **BITR_18_320_Fig_wasp_dissection** - includes information regarding general dissections. Columns include A) Elevation (masl) of collection site, B) highland or lowland category, C) site name, D) Fig species, E) fig sample number, F) fig tree subspecies (when applicable), G) tree number, H) tree sex, I) and J) are codes for point size and color for graphical purposes, K) to O) are syconia measurements including width (cm), height of dissected fig (cm), radius (mm), Pi measurement (expressed as the radius squared), and volume of the fig (in mm cubed), P) ostiole size (mm), Q) through W) indicate female reproductive variables with Q) number of seeds, R) undeveloped ovules, S) aborted ovules, T) empty ovules, U) empty ovules (no seeds) predated by fig-wasp larvae, V) possible ovules (considered as the total of seeds plus all other categories of ovules) and W) seed set (number of seeds divided by number of possible ovules), From X) to AH) indicates male fig variables including X) number of anthers inside the fig, Y) hatched (empty) galls, Z) undeveloped galls, AA) number of male pollinating fig-wasps, AB) number of female pollinating fig-wasps, AC) total pollinating fig wasps, AD) number of parasitoid wasps, AE) number of unspecified wasps), AF) total wasp load per fig, AG) number of foundress wasps and AH) number of aborted galls. Third tab - **NPFW count_morphoSP** - includes information regarding fig-wasp counts from reared figs (see methods). A) fig species, B) collection site, C) individual sample name, D) categorial description of reared fig. pol: in these vials, 15 individuals were originally removed for an alternate experiment), ext# extra collections, rep: replicate collection, E) male pollinating fig-wap count, F) PolMale_pol indicate that if the sample came from a "pol" vial, add 15 individuals since they were previously taken for DNA extraction), G) Female pollinatting fig-wasp count, H) same as F), I) parasitoid morphospecies count, J) to V), different parasitoid morphospecies. Blank cells indicate no individual of that morphospecies was found. W) male parasitoid wasps, X) mosquito count inside figs. Fourth tab - **Final_NPFW_ocurrence** - is a simple table showing fig species, collection site, elevation of site, and the number of non-pollinating fig-wasp morphosepcies found in our dissections.