Social life and sanitary risks: Evolutionary and current ecological conditions determine waste management in leaf-cutting ants

Autores
Farji Brener, Alejandro Gustavo; Elizalde, Luciana; Fernández Marín, Hermógenes; Amador Vargas, Sabrina
Año de publicación
2016
Idioma
inglés
Tipo de recurso
artículo
Estado
versión publicada
Descripción
Adequate waste management is vital for the success of social life, because waste accumulation increases sanitary risks in dense societies. We explored why different leaf-cutting ants (LCA) species locate their waste in internal nest chambers or external piles, including ecological context and accounting for phylogenetic relations. We propose that waste location depends on whether the environmental conditions enhance or reduce the risk of infection. We obtained the geographical range, habitat and refuse location of LCA from published literature, and experimentally determined whether pathogens on ant waste survived to the high soil temperatures typical of xeric habitats. The habitat of the LCA determined waste location after phylogenetic correction: species with external waste piles mainly occur in xeric environments, whereas those with internalwaste chambers mainly inhabit more humid habitats. The ancestral reconstruction suggests that dumping waste externally is less derived than digging waste nest chambers. Empirical results showed that high soil surface temperatures reduce pathogen prevalence from LCA waste. We proposed that LCA living in environments unfavourable for pathogens (i.e. xeric habitats) avoid digging costs by dumping the refuse above ground. Conversely, in environments suitable for pathogens, LCA species prevent the spread of diseases by storing waste underground, presumably, a behaviour that contributed to the colonization of humid habitats. These results highlight the adaptation of organisms to the hygienic challenges of social living, and illustrate how sanitary behaviours can result from a combination of evolutionary history and current environmental conditions.
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
Fil: Elizalde, Luciana. 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
Fil: Fernández Marín, Hermógenes. Centro de Biodiversidad y Descrubrimiento de Drogas; Panamá
Fil: Amador Vargas, Sabrina. Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute; Panamá
Materia
Acromyrmex
Ant Behaviour
Ant Waste
Atta
Group Living
Waste Management
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:11336/71377
Acceder
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oai_identifier_str oai:ri.conicet.gov.ar:11336/71377
network_acronym_str CONICETDig
repository_id_str 3498
network_name_str CONICET Digital (CONICET)
spelling Social life and sanitary risks: Evolutionary and current ecological conditions determine waste management in leaf-cutting antsFarji Brener, Alejandro GustavoElizalde, LucianaFernández Marín, HermógenesAmador Vargas, SabrinaAcromyrmexAnt BehaviourAnt WasteAttaGroup LivingWaste Managementhttps://purl.org/becyt/ford/1.6https://purl.org/becyt/ford/1Adequate waste management is vital for the success of social life, because waste accumulation increases sanitary risks in dense societies. We explored why different leaf-cutting ants (LCA) species locate their waste in internal nest chambers or external piles, including ecological context and accounting for phylogenetic relations. We propose that waste location depends on whether the environmental conditions enhance or reduce the risk of infection. We obtained the geographical range, habitat and refuse location of LCA from published literature, and experimentally determined whether pathogens on ant waste survived to the high soil temperatures typical of xeric habitats. The habitat of the LCA determined waste location after phylogenetic correction: species with external waste piles mainly occur in xeric environments, whereas those with internalwaste chambers mainly inhabit more humid habitats. The ancestral reconstruction suggests that dumping waste externally is less derived than digging waste nest chambers. Empirical results showed that high soil surface temperatures reduce pathogen prevalence from LCA waste. We proposed that LCA living in environments unfavourable for pathogens (i.e. xeric habitats) avoid digging costs by dumping the refuse above ground. Conversely, in environments suitable for pathogens, LCA species prevent the spread of diseases by storing waste underground, presumably, a behaviour that contributed to the colonization of humid habitats. These results highlight the adaptation of organisms to the hygienic challenges of social living, and illustrate how sanitary behaviours can result from a combination of evolutionary history and current environmental conditions.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; ArgentinaFil: Elizalde, Luciana. 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; ArgentinaFil: Fernández Marín, Hermógenes. Centro de Biodiversidad y Descrubrimiento de Drogas; PanamáFil: Amador Vargas, Sabrina. Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute; PanamáThe Royal Society2016-05-25info:eu-repo/semantics/articleinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersionhttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_6501info:ar-repo/semantics/articuloapplication/pdfapplication/pdfapplication/pdfhttp://hdl.handle.net/11336/71377Farji Brener, Alejandro Gustavo; Elizalde, Luciana; Fernández Marín, Hermógenes; Amador Vargas, Sabrina; Social life and sanitary risks: Evolutionary and current ecological conditions determine waste management in leaf-cutting ants; The Royal Society; Proceedings Of The Royal Society Of London Series B-containing Papers Of Abiological Character; 283; 1831; 25-5-2016; 1-70950-11930962-8452CONICET DigitalCONICETenginfo:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/doi/10.1098/rspb.2016.0625info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/url/https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rspb.2016.0625info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccesshttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.5/ar/reponame:CONICET Digital (CONICET)instname:Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas2025-09-03T09:47:30Zoai:ri.conicet.gov.ar:11336/71377instacron: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 09:47:30.248CONICET Digital (CONICET) - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicasfalse
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv Social life and sanitary risks: Evolutionary and current ecological conditions determine waste management in leaf-cutting ants
title Social life and sanitary risks: Evolutionary and current ecological conditions determine waste management in leaf-cutting ants
spellingShingle Social life and sanitary risks: Evolutionary and current ecological conditions determine waste management in leaf-cutting ants
Farji Brener, Alejandro Gustavo
Acromyrmex
Ant Behaviour
Ant Waste
Atta
Group Living
Waste Management
title_short Social life and sanitary risks: Evolutionary and current ecological conditions determine waste management in leaf-cutting ants
title_full Social life and sanitary risks: Evolutionary and current ecological conditions determine waste management in leaf-cutting ants
title_fullStr Social life and sanitary risks: Evolutionary and current ecological conditions determine waste management in leaf-cutting ants
title_full_unstemmed Social life and sanitary risks: Evolutionary and current ecological conditions determine waste management in leaf-cutting ants
title_sort Social life and sanitary risks: Evolutionary and current ecological conditions determine waste management in leaf-cutting ants
dc.creator.none.fl_str_mv Farji Brener, Alejandro Gustavo
Elizalde, Luciana
Fernández Marín, Hermógenes
Amador Vargas, Sabrina
author Farji Brener, Alejandro Gustavo
author_facet Farji Brener, Alejandro Gustavo
Elizalde, Luciana
Fernández Marín, Hermógenes
Amador Vargas, Sabrina
author_role author
author2 Elizalde, Luciana
Fernández Marín, Hermógenes
Amador Vargas, Sabrina
author2_role author
author
author
dc.subject.none.fl_str_mv Acromyrmex
Ant Behaviour
Ant Waste
Atta
Group Living
Waste Management
topic Acromyrmex
Ant Behaviour
Ant Waste
Atta
Group Living
Waste Management
purl_subject.fl_str_mv https://purl.org/becyt/ford/1.6
https://purl.org/becyt/ford/1
dc.description.none.fl_txt_mv Adequate waste management is vital for the success of social life, because waste accumulation increases sanitary risks in dense societies. We explored why different leaf-cutting ants (LCA) species locate their waste in internal nest chambers or external piles, including ecological context and accounting for phylogenetic relations. We propose that waste location depends on whether the environmental conditions enhance or reduce the risk of infection. We obtained the geographical range, habitat and refuse location of LCA from published literature, and experimentally determined whether pathogens on ant waste survived to the high soil temperatures typical of xeric habitats. The habitat of the LCA determined waste location after phylogenetic correction: species with external waste piles mainly occur in xeric environments, whereas those with internalwaste chambers mainly inhabit more humid habitats. The ancestral reconstruction suggests that dumping waste externally is less derived than digging waste nest chambers. Empirical results showed that high soil surface temperatures reduce pathogen prevalence from LCA waste. We proposed that LCA living in environments unfavourable for pathogens (i.e. xeric habitats) avoid digging costs by dumping the refuse above ground. Conversely, in environments suitable for pathogens, LCA species prevent the spread of diseases by storing waste underground, presumably, a behaviour that contributed to the colonization of humid habitats. These results highlight the adaptation of organisms to the hygienic challenges of social living, and illustrate how sanitary behaviours can result from a combination of evolutionary history and current environmental conditions.
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
Fil: Elizalde, Luciana. 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
Fil: Fernández Marín, Hermógenes. Centro de Biodiversidad y Descrubrimiento de Drogas; Panamá
Fil: Amador Vargas, Sabrina. Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute; Panamá
description Adequate waste management is vital for the success of social life, because waste accumulation increases sanitary risks in dense societies. We explored why different leaf-cutting ants (LCA) species locate their waste in internal nest chambers or external piles, including ecological context and accounting for phylogenetic relations. We propose that waste location depends on whether the environmental conditions enhance or reduce the risk of infection. We obtained the geographical range, habitat and refuse location of LCA from published literature, and experimentally determined whether pathogens on ant waste survived to the high soil temperatures typical of xeric habitats. The habitat of the LCA determined waste location after phylogenetic correction: species with external waste piles mainly occur in xeric environments, whereas those with internalwaste chambers mainly inhabit more humid habitats. The ancestral reconstruction suggests that dumping waste externally is less derived than digging waste nest chambers. Empirical results showed that high soil surface temperatures reduce pathogen prevalence from LCA waste. We proposed that LCA living in environments unfavourable for pathogens (i.e. xeric habitats) avoid digging costs by dumping the refuse above ground. Conversely, in environments suitable for pathogens, LCA species prevent the spread of diseases by storing waste underground, presumably, a behaviour that contributed to the colonization of humid habitats. These results highlight the adaptation of organisms to the hygienic challenges of social living, and illustrate how sanitary behaviours can result from a combination of evolutionary history and current environmental conditions.
publishDate 2016
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv 2016-05-25
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/11336/71377
Farji Brener, Alejandro Gustavo; Elizalde, Luciana; Fernández Marín, Hermógenes; Amador Vargas, Sabrina; Social life and sanitary risks: Evolutionary and current ecological conditions determine waste management in leaf-cutting ants; The Royal Society; Proceedings Of The Royal Society Of London Series B-containing Papers Of Abiological Character; 283; 1831; 25-5-2016; 1-7
0950-1193
0962-8452
CONICET Digital
CONICET
url http://hdl.handle.net/11336/71377
identifier_str_mv Farji Brener, Alejandro Gustavo; Elizalde, Luciana; Fernández Marín, Hermógenes; Amador Vargas, Sabrina; Social life and sanitary risks: Evolutionary and current ecological conditions determine waste management in leaf-cutting ants; The Royal Society; Proceedings Of The Royal Society Of London Series B-containing Papers Of Abiological Character; 283; 1831; 25-5-2016; 1-7
0950-1193
0962-8452
CONICET Digital
CONICET
dc.language.none.fl_str_mv eng
language eng
dc.relation.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/doi/10.1098/rspb.2016.0625
info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/url/https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rspb.2016.0625
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
application/pdf
dc.publisher.none.fl_str_mv The Royal Society
publisher.none.fl_str_mv The Royal Society
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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score 13.13397

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