The ‘truck-driver’ effect in leaf-cutting ants: how individual load influences the walking speed of nest-mates

Autores
Farji Brener, Alejandro Gustavo; Chinchilla, Federico A.; Seth, Rifkin; Sanchez Cuervo, Ana Maria; Triana, Emilia; Quiroga, Verónica Andrea; Giraldo, Paola
Año de publicación
2011
Idioma
inglés
Tipo de recurso
artículo
Estado
versión publicada
Descripción
The foraging behaviour of social insects is highly flexible because it depends on the interplay between individual and collective decisions. In ants that use foraging trails, high ant flow may entail traffic problems if different workers vary widely in their walking speed. Slow ants carrying extra‐large loads in the leaf‐cutting ant Atta cephalotes L. (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) are characterized as ‘highly‐laden’ ants, and their effect on delaying other laden ants is analyzed. Highly‐laden ants carry loads that are 100% larger and show a 50% greater load‐carrying capacity (i.e. load size/body size) than ‘ordinary‐laden’ ants. Field manipulations reveal that these slow ants carrying extra‐large loads can reduce the walking speed of the laden ants behind them by up to 50%. Moreover, the percentage of highly‐laden ants decreases at high ant flow. Because the delaying effect of highly‐laden ants on nest‐mates is enhanced at high traffic levels, these results suggest that load size might be adjusted to reduce the negative effect on the rate of foraging input to the colony. Several causes have been proposed to explain why leaf‐cutting ants cut and carry leaf fragments of sizes below their individual capacities. The avoidance of delay in laden nest‐mates is suggested as another novel factor related to traffic flow that also might affect load size selection The results of the presennt study illustrate how leaf‐cutting ants are able to reduce their individual carrying performance to maximize the overall colony performance.
Fil: Farji Brener, Alejandro Gustavo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Norte. Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente. Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Centro Regional Universidad Bariloche. Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente; Argentina. Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Centro Regional Universitario Bariloche. Laboratorio de Ecotono; Argentina
Fil: Chinchilla, Federico A.. Universidad de Costa Rica. Estación Biológica Palo Verde; Costa Rica
Fil: Seth, Rifkin. Universidad de Puerto Rico; Puerto Rico
Fil: Sanchez Cuervo, Ana Maria. Universidad de Puerto Rico; Puerto Rico
Fil: Triana, Emilia. Universidad de Costa Rica. Escuela de Biología; Costa Rica
Fil: Quiroga, Verónica Andrea. Universidad Nacional de Salta; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Nordeste. Instituto de Biología Subtropical. Universidad Nacional de Misiones. Instituto de Biología Subtropical; Argentina
Fil: Giraldo, Paola. Universidad Nacional de Caldas; Colombia
Materia
Hormigas
Comportamiento
Traileras
Atta
Ant Behaviour
Ant Traffic
Foraging Trails
Traffic Speed
Costa Rica
Nivel de accesibilidad
acceso abierto
Condiciones de uso
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.5/ar/
Repositorio
CONICET Digital (CONICET)
Institución
Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas
OAI Identificador
oai:ri.conicet.gov.ar:11336/43489
Acceder
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repository_id_str 3498
network_name_str CONICET Digital (CONICET)
spelling The ‘truck-driver’ effect in leaf-cutting ants: how individual load influences the walking speed of nest-matesFarji Brener, Alejandro GustavoChinchilla, Federico A.Seth, RifkinSanchez Cuervo, Ana MariaTriana, EmiliaQuiroga, Verónica AndreaGiraldo, PaolaHormigasComportamientoTrailerasAttaAnt BehaviourAnt TrafficForaging TrailsTraffic SpeedCosta Ricahttps://purl.org/becyt/ford/1.6https://purl.org/becyt/ford/1The foraging behaviour of social insects is highly flexible because it depends on the interplay between individual and collective decisions. In ants that use foraging trails, high ant flow may entail traffic problems if different workers vary widely in their walking speed. Slow ants carrying extra‐large loads in the leaf‐cutting ant Atta cephalotes L. (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) are characterized as ‘highly‐laden’ ants, and their effect on delaying other laden ants is analyzed. Highly‐laden ants carry loads that are 100% larger and show a 50% greater load‐carrying capacity (i.e. load size/body size) than ‘ordinary‐laden’ ants. Field manipulations reveal that these slow ants carrying extra‐large loads can reduce the walking speed of the laden ants behind them by up to 50%. Moreover, the percentage of highly‐laden ants decreases at high ant flow. Because the delaying effect of highly‐laden ants on nest‐mates is enhanced at high traffic levels, these results suggest that load size might be adjusted to reduce the negative effect on the rate of foraging input to the colony. Several causes have been proposed to explain why leaf‐cutting ants cut and carry leaf fragments of sizes below their individual capacities. The avoidance of delay in laden nest‐mates is suggested as another novel factor related to traffic flow that also might affect load size selection The results of the presennt study illustrate how leaf‐cutting ants are able to reduce their individual carrying performance to maximize the overall colony performance.Fil: Farji Brener, Alejandro Gustavo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Norte. Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente. Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Centro Regional Universidad Bariloche. Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente; Argentina. Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Centro Regional Universitario Bariloche. Laboratorio de Ecotono; ArgentinaFil: Chinchilla, Federico A.. Universidad de Costa Rica. Estación Biológica Palo Verde; Costa RicaFil: Seth, Rifkin. Universidad de Puerto Rico; Puerto RicoFil: Sanchez Cuervo, Ana Maria. Universidad de Puerto Rico; Puerto RicoFil: Triana, Emilia. Universidad de Costa Rica. Escuela de Biología; Costa RicaFil: Quiroga, Verónica Andrea. Universidad Nacional de Salta; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Nordeste. Instituto de Biología Subtropical. Universidad Nacional de Misiones. Instituto de Biología Subtropical; ArgentinaFil: Giraldo, Paola. Universidad Nacional de Caldas; ColombiaWiley Blackwell Publishing, Inc2011-06info:eu-repo/semantics/articleinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersionhttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_6501info:ar-repo/semantics/articuloapplication/pdfapplication/pdfhttp://hdl.handle.net/11336/43489Farji Brener, Alejandro Gustavo; Chinchilla, Federico A.; Seth, Rifkin; Sanchez Cuervo, Ana Maria; Triana, Emilia; et al.; The ‘truck-driver’ effect in leaf-cutting ants: how individual load influences the walking speed of nest-mates; Wiley Blackwell Publishing, Inc; Physiological Entomology (print); 36; 2; 6-2011; 128-1340307-6962CONICET DigitalCONICETenginfo:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/url/https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1365-3032.2010.00771.xinfo:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/doi/10.1111/j.1365-3032.2010.00771.xinfo:eu-repo/semantics/openAccesshttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.5/ar/reponame:CONICET Digital (CONICET)instname:Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas2025-09-03T09:58:34Zoai:ri.conicet.gov.ar:11336/43489instacron:CONICETInstitucionalhttp://ri.conicet.gov.ar/Organismo científico-tecnológicoNo correspondehttp://ri.conicet.gov.ar/oai/requestdasensio@conicet.gov.ar; lcarlino@conicet.gov.arArgentinaNo correspondeNo correspondeNo correspondeopendoar:34982025-09-03 09:58:34.582CONICET Digital (CONICET) - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicasfalse
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv The ‘truck-driver’ effect in leaf-cutting ants: how individual load influences the walking speed of nest-mates
title The ‘truck-driver’ effect in leaf-cutting ants: how individual load influences the walking speed of nest-mates
spellingShingle The ‘truck-driver’ effect in leaf-cutting ants: how individual load influences the walking speed of nest-mates
Farji Brener, Alejandro Gustavo
Hormigas
Comportamiento
Traileras
Atta
Ant Behaviour
Ant Traffic
Foraging Trails
Traffic Speed
Costa Rica
title_short The ‘truck-driver’ effect in leaf-cutting ants: how individual load influences the walking speed of nest-mates
title_full The ‘truck-driver’ effect in leaf-cutting ants: how individual load influences the walking speed of nest-mates
title_fullStr The ‘truck-driver’ effect in leaf-cutting ants: how individual load influences the walking speed of nest-mates
title_full_unstemmed The ‘truck-driver’ effect in leaf-cutting ants: how individual load influences the walking speed of nest-mates
title_sort The ‘truck-driver’ effect in leaf-cutting ants: how individual load influences the walking speed of nest-mates
dc.creator.none.fl_str_mv Farji Brener, Alejandro Gustavo
Chinchilla, Federico A.
Seth, Rifkin
Sanchez Cuervo, Ana Maria
Triana, Emilia
Quiroga, Verónica Andrea
Giraldo, Paola
author Farji Brener, Alejandro Gustavo
author_facet Farji Brener, Alejandro Gustavo
Chinchilla, Federico A.
Seth, Rifkin
Sanchez Cuervo, Ana Maria
Triana, Emilia
Quiroga, Verónica Andrea
Giraldo, Paola
author_role author
author2 Chinchilla, Federico A.
Seth, Rifkin
Sanchez Cuervo, Ana Maria
Triana, Emilia
Quiroga, Verónica Andrea
Giraldo, Paola
author2_role author
author
author
author
author
author
dc.subject.none.fl_str_mv Hormigas
Comportamiento
Traileras
Atta
Ant Behaviour
Ant Traffic
Foraging Trails
Traffic Speed
Costa Rica
topic Hormigas
Comportamiento
Traileras
Atta
Ant Behaviour
Ant Traffic
Foraging Trails
Traffic Speed
Costa Rica
purl_subject.fl_str_mv https://purl.org/becyt/ford/1.6
https://purl.org/becyt/ford/1
dc.description.none.fl_txt_mv The foraging behaviour of social insects is highly flexible because it depends on the interplay between individual and collective decisions. In ants that use foraging trails, high ant flow may entail traffic problems if different workers vary widely in their walking speed. Slow ants carrying extra‐large loads in the leaf‐cutting ant Atta cephalotes L. (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) are characterized as ‘highly‐laden’ ants, and their effect on delaying other laden ants is analyzed. Highly‐laden ants carry loads that are 100% larger and show a 50% greater load‐carrying capacity (i.e. load size/body size) than ‘ordinary‐laden’ ants. Field manipulations reveal that these slow ants carrying extra‐large loads can reduce the walking speed of the laden ants behind them by up to 50%. Moreover, the percentage of highly‐laden ants decreases at high ant flow. Because the delaying effect of highly‐laden ants on nest‐mates is enhanced at high traffic levels, these results suggest that load size might be adjusted to reduce the negative effect on the rate of foraging input to the colony. Several causes have been proposed to explain why leaf‐cutting ants cut and carry leaf fragments of sizes below their individual capacities. The avoidance of delay in laden nest‐mates is suggested as another novel factor related to traffic flow that also might affect load size selection The results of the presennt study illustrate how leaf‐cutting ants are able to reduce their individual carrying performance to maximize the overall colony performance.
Fil: Farji Brener, Alejandro Gustavo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Norte. Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente. Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Centro Regional Universidad Bariloche. Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente; Argentina. Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Centro Regional Universitario Bariloche. Laboratorio de Ecotono; Argentina
Fil: Chinchilla, Federico A.. Universidad de Costa Rica. Estación Biológica Palo Verde; Costa Rica
Fil: Seth, Rifkin. Universidad de Puerto Rico; Puerto Rico
Fil: Sanchez Cuervo, Ana Maria. Universidad de Puerto Rico; Puerto Rico
Fil: Triana, Emilia. Universidad de Costa Rica. Escuela de Biología; Costa Rica
Fil: Quiroga, Verónica Andrea. Universidad Nacional de Salta; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Nordeste. Instituto de Biología Subtropical. Universidad Nacional de Misiones. Instituto de Biología Subtropical; Argentina
Fil: Giraldo, Paola. Universidad Nacional de Caldas; Colombia
description The foraging behaviour of social insects is highly flexible because it depends on the interplay between individual and collective decisions. In ants that use foraging trails, high ant flow may entail traffic problems if different workers vary widely in their walking speed. Slow ants carrying extra‐large loads in the leaf‐cutting ant Atta cephalotes L. (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) are characterized as ‘highly‐laden’ ants, and their effect on delaying other laden ants is analyzed. Highly‐laden ants carry loads that are 100% larger and show a 50% greater load‐carrying capacity (i.e. load size/body size) than ‘ordinary‐laden’ ants. Field manipulations reveal that these slow ants carrying extra‐large loads can reduce the walking speed of the laden ants behind them by up to 50%. Moreover, the percentage of highly‐laden ants decreases at high ant flow. Because the delaying effect of highly‐laden ants on nest‐mates is enhanced at high traffic levels, these results suggest that load size might be adjusted to reduce the negative effect on the rate of foraging input to the colony. Several causes have been proposed to explain why leaf‐cutting ants cut and carry leaf fragments of sizes below their individual capacities. The avoidance of delay in laden nest‐mates is suggested as another novel factor related to traffic flow that also might affect load size selection The results of the presennt study illustrate how leaf‐cutting ants are able to reduce their individual carrying performance to maximize the overall colony performance.
publishDate 2011
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv 2011-06
dc.type.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/article
info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
http://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_6501
info:ar-repo/semantics/articulo
format article
status_str publishedVersion
dc.identifier.none.fl_str_mv http://hdl.handle.net/11336/43489
Farji Brener, Alejandro Gustavo; Chinchilla, Federico A.; Seth, Rifkin; Sanchez Cuervo, Ana Maria; Triana, Emilia; et al.; The ‘truck-driver’ effect in leaf-cutting ants: how individual load influences the walking speed of nest-mates; Wiley Blackwell Publishing, Inc; Physiological Entomology (print); 36; 2; 6-2011; 128-134
0307-6962
CONICET Digital
CONICET
url http://hdl.handle.net/11336/43489
identifier_str_mv Farji Brener, Alejandro Gustavo; Chinchilla, Federico A.; Seth, Rifkin; Sanchez Cuervo, Ana Maria; Triana, Emilia; et al.; The ‘truck-driver’ effect in leaf-cutting ants: how individual load influences the walking speed of nest-mates; Wiley Blackwell Publishing, Inc; Physiological Entomology (print); 36; 2; 6-2011; 128-134
0307-6962
CONICET Digital
CONICET
dc.language.none.fl_str_mv eng
language eng
dc.relation.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/url/https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1365-3032.2010.00771.x
info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/doi/10.1111/j.1365-3032.2010.00771.x
dc.rights.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.5/ar/
eu_rights_str_mv openAccess
rights_invalid_str_mv https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.5/ar/
dc.format.none.fl_str_mv application/pdf
application/pdf
dc.publisher.none.fl_str_mv Wiley Blackwell Publishing, Inc
publisher.none.fl_str_mv Wiley Blackwell Publishing, Inc
dc.source.none.fl_str_mv reponame:CONICET Digital (CONICET)
instname:Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas
reponame_str CONICET Digital (CONICET)
collection CONICET Digital (CONICET)
instname_str Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas
repository.name.fl_str_mv CONICET Digital (CONICET) - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas
repository.mail.fl_str_mv dasensio@conicet.gov.ar; lcarlino@conicet.gov.ar
_version_ 1842269528640192512
score 13.13397

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