INTRAINDIVIDUAL VARIATIONS OF VOLATILE TERPENE CONTENTS IN PINUS-CARIBAEA NEEDLES AND ITS POSSIBLE RELATIONSHIP TO ATTA-LAEVIGATA HERBIVORY

Volatile terpene content variations in Pinus caribaea needles are exam ined in relation to season, day hour, and canopy level. According to t he results, the concentration of beta-pinene was lower and that of sab inene and caryophyllene higher in the dry season than in the rainy sea son. beta-Pinene, camphene, and beta-phellandrene were more abundant i n needles located at the lower canopy level, and limonene, alpha-ocime ne, and the mixture of myrcene + alpha-phellandrene were more abundant at the upper canopy level. Camphene, sabinene, myrcene + alpha-phella ndrene, and beta-cadinene + gamma-cadinene were more abundant in the a fternoon, with lower concentrations at night. These results indicate t hat intraindividual Variations in the contents of Volatile terpenes in Pinus caribaea needles are significant even in regard to interindivid ual differences. The foraging pattern of the leafcutting ant Atta laev igata, as observed in a Caribbean pine plantation, could be, in part, related to these intraindividual variations. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.