Effect of social and environmental factors on ant aggregation: a general response?

Journal of Insect Physiology
Stéphanie DepickèreJean-Louis Deneubourg

Abstract

In social species, the interactions that occur between individuals and also between individuals and their environment can lead to various spatial distributions. Our goal was to understand how both factors (social and environmental) can affect such spatial distribution of individuals. Aggregation experiments were conducted on the ant Crematogaster scutellaris: the level of inter-attraction between individuals was characterized and the influence of an environmental factor (light intensity) was studied. Two ethological castes (brood-tenders and foragers) were tested, showing a strong and similar aggregation pattern-although faster for foragers. This difference could be explained by a higher degree of inter-attraction for brood-tenders, resulting in longer interaction time and therefore a slower aggregation rate. We also showed the influence of light conditions by carrying out experiments in total darkness and under red light. C. scutellaris appeared highly sensitive to the red light, aggregating just underneath it. Nevertheless, the level of aggregation is not affected by the luminosity condition. These results are discussed in relation to the ecology of the species, and are compared with results obtained in another ant species, L...Continue Reading

References

Dec 9, 2000·Annual Review of Entomology·S N Beshers, J H Fewell
Jul 6, 2004·Journal of Insect Physiology·Stéphanie DepickèreJean-Louis Deneubourg
May 5, 2005·Proceedings. Biological Sciences·Audrey DussutourVincent Fourcassié
Jul 1, 1988·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·J R Lighton, G A Bartholomew
Jul 17, 2007·Current Biology : CB·Fabien RavaryPierre Jaisson
Sep 20, 2007·Annual Review of Entomology·Yves Le Conte, Abraham Hefetz

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Citations

Mar 3, 2011·PloS One·Cédric DevigneJean-Louis Deneubourg
Jun 30, 2009·Journal of Insect Physiology·Stéphane CanongeJean Louis Deneubourg
Jun 13, 2015·PLoS Computational Biology·Pierre Broly, Jean-Louis Deneubourg

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