Task-partitioning in insect societies: Non-random direct material transfers affect both colony efficiency and information flow
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 assum...
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| Acceso en línea: | https://bibliotecadigital.exactas.uba.ar/collection/paper/document/paper_00225193_v327_n_p23_Gruter http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12110/paper_00225193_v327_n_p23_Gruter |
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paper:paper_00225193_v327_n_p23_Gruter2023-06-08T14:51:23Z Task-partitioning in insect societies: Non-random direct material transfers affect both colony efficiency and information flow Farina, Walter Marcelo Agent-based model Apis mellifera Honey bee Olfactory conditioning colony communication conditioning foraging efficiency honeybee labor division numerical model olfaction social organization animal behavior article controlled study donor ergonomics food foraging behavior honeybee insect learning nonhuman odor organism colony priority journal sensitivity analysis simulation task partitioning worker (insect) Animal Communication Animals Appetitive Behavior Bees Behavior, Animal Cooperative Behavior Group Processes Insects Models, Biological Apis mellifera Hexapoda 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. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. Fil:Farina, W.M. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales; Argentina. 2013 https://bibliotecadigital.exactas.uba.ar/collection/paper/document/paper_00225193_v327_n_p23_Gruter http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12110/paper_00225193_v327_n_p23_Gruter |
| institution |
Universidad de Buenos Aires |
| institution_str |
I-28 |
| repository_str |
R-134 |
| collection |
Biblioteca Digital - Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales (UBA) |
| topic |
Agent-based model Apis mellifera Honey bee Olfactory conditioning colony communication conditioning foraging efficiency honeybee labor division numerical model olfaction social organization animal behavior article controlled study donor ergonomics food foraging behavior honeybee insect learning nonhuman odor organism colony priority journal sensitivity analysis simulation task partitioning worker (insect) Animal Communication Animals Appetitive Behavior Bees Behavior, Animal Cooperative Behavior Group Processes Insects Models, Biological Apis mellifera Hexapoda |
| spellingShingle |
Agent-based model Apis mellifera Honey bee Olfactory conditioning colony communication conditioning foraging efficiency honeybee labor division numerical model olfaction social organization animal behavior article controlled study donor ergonomics food foraging behavior honeybee insect learning nonhuman odor organism colony priority journal sensitivity analysis simulation task partitioning worker (insect) Animal Communication Animals Appetitive Behavior Bees Behavior, Animal Cooperative Behavior Group Processes Insects Models, Biological Apis mellifera Hexapoda Farina, Walter Marcelo Task-partitioning in insect societies: Non-random direct material transfers affect both colony efficiency and information flow |
| topic_facet |
Agent-based model Apis mellifera Honey bee Olfactory conditioning colony communication conditioning foraging efficiency honeybee labor division numerical model olfaction social organization animal behavior article controlled study donor ergonomics food foraging behavior honeybee insect learning nonhuman odor organism colony priority journal sensitivity analysis simulation task partitioning worker (insect) Animal Communication Animals Appetitive Behavior Bees Behavior, Animal Cooperative Behavior Group Processes Insects Models, Biological Apis mellifera Hexapoda |
| 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. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. |
| author |
Farina, Walter Marcelo |
| author_facet |
Farina, Walter Marcelo |
| author_sort |
Farina, Walter Marcelo |
| title |
Task-partitioning in insect societies: Non-random direct material transfers affect both colony efficiency and information flow |
| 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 |
| publishDate |
2013 |
| url |
https://bibliotecadigital.exactas.uba.ar/collection/paper/document/paper_00225193_v327_n_p23_Gruter http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12110/paper_00225193_v327_n_p23_Gruter |
| work_keys_str_mv |
AT farinawaltermarcelo taskpartitioningininsectsocietiesnonrandomdirectmaterialtransfersaffectbothcolonyefficiencyandinformationflow |
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