Migration control: A distance compensation strategy in ants

O�shea-Wheller, Thomas A.; O'Shea-Wheller, Thomas; Sendova-Franks, Ana B.; Franks, Nigel R.

Abstract

©The Author(s) 2016. This article is published with open access at Springerlink.com. Migratory behaviour forms an intrinsic part of the life histories of many organisms but is often a high-risk process. Consequently, varied strategies have evolved to negate such risks, but empirical data relating to their functioning are limited. In this study, we use the model system of the househunting ant Temnothorax albipennis to demonstrate a key strategy that can shorten migration exposure times in a group of social insects. Colonies of these ants frequently migrate to new nest sites, and due to the nature of their habitat, the distances over which they do so are variable, leading to fluctuating potential costs dependent on migration parameters. We show that colonies of this species facultatively alter the dynamics of a migration and so compensate for the distance over which a given migration occurs. Specifically, they achieve this by modulating the rate of ‘tandem running’, in which workers teach each other the route to a new nest site. Using this method, colonies are able to engage a larger number of individuals in the migration process when the distance to be traversed is greater, and furthermore, the system appears to be based on perceived encounter rate at the individual level. This form of decentralised control highlights the adaptive nature of a behaviour of ecological importance, and indicates that the key to its robustness lies in the use of simple rules. Additionally, our results suggest that such coordinated group reactions are central to achieving the high levels of ecological success seen in many eusocial organisms.

Citation

O’shea-Wheller, T. A., O'Shea-Wheller, T., Sendova-Franks, A. B., & Franks, N. R. (2016). Migration control: A distance compensation strategy in ants. Naturwissenschaften, 103(7), article 66. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00114-016-1386-8

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jun 9, 2016
• Online Publication Date: Jul 18, 2016
• Publication Date: Jan 1, 2016
• Deposit Date: Jul 19, 2016
• Publicly Available Date: Jul 19, 2016
• Journal: Science of Nature
• Print ISSN: 0028-1042
• Electronic ISSN: 1432-1904
• Publisher: Springer Verlag
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 103
• Issue: 7
• Pages: article 66
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00114-016-1386-8
• Keywords: cost-benefit trade-offs, decentralised systems,; ecological robustness, groupmigration, temnothorax; albipennis
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/909242
• Publisher URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00114-016-1386-8