Task-partitioning in insect societies: Non-random direct material transfers affect both colony efficiency and information flow

Autores
Grüter, Christoph; Schürch, Roger; Farina, Walter Marcelo
Año de publicación
2013
Idioma
inglés
Tipo de recurso
artículo
Estado
versión publicada
Descripción
Task-partitioning is an important organisational principle in insect colonies and is thought to increase colony efficiency. In task-partitioning, tasks such as the collection of resources are divided into subtasks in which the material is passed from one worker to another. Previous models have assumed that worker–worker interactions are random, but experimental evidence suggests that receivers can have preferences to handle familiar materials. We used an agent-based simulation model to explore how non-random interactions during task-partitioning with direct transfer affect colony work efficiency. Because task-partitioning also allows receivers and donors to acquire foraging related information we analysed the effect of non-random interactions on informative interaction patterns. When receivers non-randomly rejected donors offering certain materials, donors overall experienced increased time delays, hive stay durations and a decreased number of transfer partners. However, the number of transfers was slightly increased, which can improve the acquisition and quality of information for donors. When receivers were non-randomly attracted to donors offering certain materials, donors experienced reduced transfer delays, hive stay durations and an increased number of simultaneous receivers. The number of transfers is slightly decreased. The effects of the two mechanisms “non-random rejection” and “non-random attraction” are biggest if the number of foragers and receivers is balanced. In summary, our results show that colony ergonomics are improved if receivers do not reject donors and if mechanisms exist that help receivers detect potential donors, such as learning the odour of the transferred food. Finally, our simulations suggest that non-random interactions can potentially affect the foraging patterns of colonies in changing environments.
Fil: Grüter, Christoph. University Of Sussex; Reino Unido
Fil: Schürch, Roger. University Of Sussex; Reino Unido
Fil: Farina, Walter Marcelo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Neurociencias. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Neurociencias; Argentina
Materia
Agent-Based Model
Honeybee
Apis Mellifera
Olfactory Conditioning
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:11336/20144

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spelling Task-partitioning in insect societies: Non-random direct material transfers affect both colony efficiency and information flowGrüter, ChristophSchürch, RogerFarina, Walter MarceloAgent-Based ModelHoneybeeApis MelliferaOlfactory Conditioninghttps://purl.org/becyt/ford/1.6https://purl.org/becyt/ford/1Task-partitioning is an important organisational principle in insect colonies and is thought to increase colony efficiency. In task-partitioning, tasks such as the collection of resources are divided into subtasks in which the material is passed from one worker to another. Previous models have assumed that worker–worker interactions are random, but experimental evidence suggests that receivers can have preferences to handle familiar materials. We used an agent-based simulation model to explore how non-random interactions during task-partitioning with direct transfer affect colony work efficiency. Because task-partitioning also allows receivers and donors to acquire foraging related information we analysed the effect of non-random interactions on informative interaction patterns. When receivers non-randomly rejected donors offering certain materials, donors overall experienced increased time delays, hive stay durations and a decreased number of transfer partners. However, the number of transfers was slightly increased, which can improve the acquisition and quality of information for donors. When receivers were non-randomly attracted to donors offering certain materials, donors experienced reduced transfer delays, hive stay durations and an increased number of simultaneous receivers. The number of transfers is slightly decreased. The effects of the two mechanisms “non-random rejection” and “non-random attraction” are biggest if the number of foragers and receivers is balanced. In summary, our results show that colony ergonomics are improved if receivers do not reject donors and if mechanisms exist that help receivers detect potential donors, such as learning the odour of the transferred food. Finally, our simulations suggest that non-random interactions can potentially affect the foraging patterns of colonies in changing environments.Fil: Grüter, Christoph. University Of Sussex; Reino UnidoFil: Schürch, Roger. University Of Sussex; Reino UnidoFil: Farina, Walter Marcelo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Neurociencias. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Neurociencias; ArgentinaElsevier2013-02info:eu-repo/semantics/articleinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersionhttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_6501info:ar-repo/semantics/articuloapplication/pdfapplication/pdfhttp://hdl.handle.net/11336/20144Grüter, Christoph; Schürch, Roger; Farina, Walter Marcelo; Task-partitioning in insect societies: Non-random direct material transfers affect both colony efficiency and information flow; Elsevier; Journal of Theoretical Biology; 327; 2-2013; 23-330022-5193CONICET DigitalCONICETenginfo:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/doi/10.1016/j.jtbi.2013.02.013info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/url/http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022519313000817info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccesshttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.5/ar/reponame:CONICET Digital (CONICET)instname:Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas2025-09-29T10:44:10Zoai:ri.conicet.gov.ar:11336/20144instacron: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:34982025-09-29 10:44:10.744CONICET Digital (CONICET) - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicasfalse
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv Task-partitioning in insect societies: Non-random direct material transfers affect both colony efficiency and information flow
title Task-partitioning in insect societies: Non-random direct material transfers affect both colony efficiency and information flow
spellingShingle Task-partitioning in insect societies: Non-random direct material transfers affect both colony efficiency and information flow
Grüter, Christoph
Agent-Based Model
Honeybee
Apis Mellifera
Olfactory Conditioning
title_short Task-partitioning in insect societies: Non-random direct material transfers affect both colony efficiency and information flow
title_full Task-partitioning in insect societies: Non-random direct material transfers affect both colony efficiency and information flow
title_fullStr Task-partitioning in insect societies: Non-random direct material transfers affect both colony efficiency and information flow
title_full_unstemmed Task-partitioning in insect societies: Non-random direct material transfers affect both colony efficiency and information flow
title_sort Task-partitioning in insect societies: Non-random direct material transfers affect both colony efficiency and information flow
dc.creator.none.fl_str_mv Grüter, Christoph
Schürch, Roger
Farina, Walter Marcelo
author Grüter, Christoph
author_facet Grüter, Christoph
Schürch, Roger
Farina, Walter Marcelo
author_role author
author2 Schürch, Roger
Farina, Walter Marcelo
author2_role author
author
dc.subject.none.fl_str_mv Agent-Based Model
Honeybee
Apis Mellifera
Olfactory Conditioning
topic Agent-Based Model
Honeybee
Apis Mellifera
Olfactory Conditioning
purl_subject.fl_str_mv https://purl.org/becyt/ford/1.6
https://purl.org/becyt/ford/1
dc.description.none.fl_txt_mv Task-partitioning is an important organisational principle in insect colonies and is thought to increase colony efficiency. In task-partitioning, tasks such as the collection of resources are divided into subtasks in which the material is passed from one worker to another. Previous models have assumed that worker–worker interactions are random, but experimental evidence suggests that receivers can have preferences to handle familiar materials. We used an agent-based simulation model to explore how non-random interactions during task-partitioning with direct transfer affect colony work efficiency. Because task-partitioning also allows receivers and donors to acquire foraging related information we analysed the effect of non-random interactions on informative interaction patterns. When receivers non-randomly rejected donors offering certain materials, donors overall experienced increased time delays, hive stay durations and a decreased number of transfer partners. However, the number of transfers was slightly increased, which can improve the acquisition and quality of information for donors. When receivers were non-randomly attracted to donors offering certain materials, donors experienced reduced transfer delays, hive stay durations and an increased number of simultaneous receivers. The number of transfers is slightly decreased. The effects of the two mechanisms “non-random rejection” and “non-random attraction” are biggest if the number of foragers and receivers is balanced. In summary, our results show that colony ergonomics are improved if receivers do not reject donors and if mechanisms exist that help receivers detect potential donors, such as learning the odour of the transferred food. Finally, our simulations suggest that non-random interactions can potentially affect the foraging patterns of colonies in changing environments.
Fil: Grüter, Christoph. University Of Sussex; Reino Unido
Fil: Schürch, Roger. University Of Sussex; Reino Unido
Fil: Farina, Walter Marcelo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Neurociencias. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Neurociencias; Argentina
description Task-partitioning is an important organisational principle in insect colonies and is thought to increase colony efficiency. In task-partitioning, tasks such as the collection of resources are divided into subtasks in which the material is passed from one worker to another. Previous models have assumed that worker–worker interactions are random, but experimental evidence suggests that receivers can have preferences to handle familiar materials. We used an agent-based simulation model to explore how non-random interactions during task-partitioning with direct transfer affect colony work efficiency. Because task-partitioning also allows receivers and donors to acquire foraging related information we analysed the effect of non-random interactions on informative interaction patterns. When receivers non-randomly rejected donors offering certain materials, donors overall experienced increased time delays, hive stay durations and a decreased number of transfer partners. However, the number of transfers was slightly increased, which can improve the acquisition and quality of information for donors. When receivers were non-randomly attracted to donors offering certain materials, donors experienced reduced transfer delays, hive stay durations and an increased number of simultaneous receivers. The number of transfers is slightly decreased. The effects of the two mechanisms “non-random rejection” and “non-random attraction” are biggest if the number of foragers and receivers is balanced. In summary, our results show that colony ergonomics are improved if receivers do not reject donors and if mechanisms exist that help receivers detect potential donors, such as learning the odour of the transferred food. Finally, our simulations suggest that non-random interactions can potentially affect the foraging patterns of colonies in changing environments.
publishDate 2013
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv 2013-02
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/11336/20144
Grüter, Christoph; Schürch, Roger; Farina, Walter Marcelo; Task-partitioning in insect societies: Non-random direct material transfers affect both colony efficiency and information flow; Elsevier; Journal of Theoretical Biology; 327; 2-2013; 23-33
0022-5193
CONICET Digital
CONICET
url http://hdl.handle.net/11336/20144
identifier_str_mv Grüter, Christoph; Schürch, Roger; Farina, Walter Marcelo; Task-partitioning in insect societies: Non-random direct material transfers affect both colony efficiency and information flow; Elsevier; Journal of Theoretical Biology; 327; 2-2013; 23-33
0022-5193
CONICET Digital
CONICET
dc.language.none.fl_str_mv eng
language eng
dc.relation.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/doi/10.1016/j.jtbi.2013.02.013
info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/url/http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022519313000817
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 Elsevier
publisher.none.fl_str_mv Elsevier
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
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