We've seen the headlines about GM foods and crop cloning. Monocultures are apparently bad news, their lack of genetic diversity leaves them vulnerable to catastrophic crop failure at the hands of pathogens.
The worlds most successful agriculturist, the leafcutter ant, thrives by sowing just one species of fungus and harvests more plant matter than any other animal in South America. Not only that they propagate their fungus through cloning.
Biologists believe that the bacteria living on ants exoskeleton produces a disease-killing antibiotic, preventing pathogens from getting out of control. Despite this, the ants don't become complacent; leafcutters cultivate their monocultures by constantly transplanting the healthiest and most disease resistant parts of their fungus gardens.
Tags: Morphology & Physiology | Evolution
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