Robinson, Elva J. H. orcid.org/0000-0003-4914-9327, Feinerman, Ofer and Franks, Nigel R. (2009) Flexible task allocation and the organization of work in ants. PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES. pp. 4373-4380. ISSN 1471-2954
Abstract
Flexibility in task performance is essential for a robust system of division of labour. We investigated what factors determine which social insect workers respond to colony-level changes in task demand. We used radio-frequency identification technology to compare the roles of corpulence, age, spatial location and previous activity (intra-nest/extra-nest) in determining whether worker ants (Temnothorax albipennis) respond to an increase in demand for foraging or brood care. The less corpulent ants took on the extra foraging, irrespective of their age, previous activity or location in the nest, supporting a physiological threshold model. We found no relationship between ants that tended the extra brood and corpulence, age, spatial location or previous activity, but ants that transported the extra brood to the main brood pile were less corpulent and had high previous intra-nest activity. This supports spatial task-encounter and physiological threshold models for brood transport. Our data suggest a flexible task-allocation system allowing the colony to respond rapidly to changing needs, using a simple task-encounter system for generalized tasks, combined with physiologically based response thresholds for more specialized tasks. This could provide a social insect colony with a robust division of labour, flexibly allocating the workforce in response to current needs.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
---|---|
Authors/Creators: |
|
Keywords: | division of labour,task allocation,foraging,brood care,social insects,radio-frequency identification,DIVISION-OF-LABOR,INSECT SOCIETIES,BEHAVIORAL FLEXIBILITY,TEMPORAL POLYETHISM,SOCIAL RESILIENCE,experience,DECISION-MAKING,Temnothorax albipennis,ants |
Dates: |
|
Institution: | The University of York |
Academic Units: | The University of York > Faculty of Sciences (York) > Biology (York) |
Depositing User: | Pure (York) |
Date Deposited: | 07 Jun 2012 12:03 |
Last Modified: | 22 Jan 2025 00:03 |
Published Version: | https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2009.1244 |
Status: | Published |
Refereed: | Yes |
Identification Number: | 10.1098/rspb.2009.1244 |
Related URLs: | |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:46207 |
Download
Filename: RobinsonTaskSwitching2009.pdf
Description: Flexible task allocation and the organization of work in ants