Balancing organization and flexibility in foraging dynamics

Journal of Theoretical Biology
Michaelangelo TaboneBrent Doiron

Abstract

Proper pattern organization and reorganization are central problems facing many biological networks which thrive in fluctuating environments. However, in many cases the mechanisms that organize system activity oppose those that support behavioral flexibility. Thus, a balance between pattern organization and pattern flexibility is critically important for overall biological fitness. We study this balance in the foraging strategies of ant colonies exploiting food in dynamic environments. We present discrete time and space simulations of colony activity that uses a pheromone-based recruitment strategy biasing foraging towards a food source. After food relocation, the pheromone must evaporate sufficiently before foraging can shift colony attention to a new food source. The amount of food consumed within the dynamic environment depends non-monotonically on the pheromone evaporation time constant-with maximal consumption occurring at a time constant which balances trail formation and trail flexibility. A deterministic, 'mean field' model of pheromone and foragers on trails mimics our colony simulations. This reduced framework captures the essence of the flexibility-organization balance, and relates optimal pheromone evaporation to th...Continue Reading

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Citations

Nov 17, 2010·Philosophical Transactions. Series A, Mathematical, Physical, and Engineering Sciences·Denis Boyer, Peter D Walsh
Jul 23, 2016·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Marcos Gomes Eleuterio da LuzGandhimohan M Viswanathan
Jul 8, 2016·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Vijay Mohan K NamboodiriMarshall G Hussain Shuler
Apr 17, 2018·Royal Society Open Science·Tomoko Sakiyama, Yukio-Pegio Gunji
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