1
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Calvo Martín M, Rodriguez Palacio E, Deneubourg JL, Nicolis SC. Emergence and retention of a collective memory in cockroaches. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0287845. [PMID: 37410767 PMCID: PMC10325095 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0287845] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2022] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 07/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The stability of collective decisions-making in social systems is crucial as it can lead to counterintuitive phenomena such as collective memories, where an initial choice is challenged by environmental changes. Many social species face the challenge to perform collective decisions under variable conditions. In this study, we focused on situations where isolated individuals and groups of the American cockroach (Periplaneta americana) had to choose between two shelters with different luminosities that were inverted during the experiment. The darker shelter was initially preferred, but only groups that reached a consensus within that shelter maintain their choice after the light inversion, while isolated individuals and small groups lacked site fidelity. Our mathematical model, incorporating deterministic and probabilistic elements, sheds light on the significance interactions and their stochasticity in the emergence and retention of a collective memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariano Calvo Martín
- Center for Nonlinear Phenomena and Complex Systems (CENOLI), Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
- Unit of Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
| | | | - Jean-Louis Deneubourg
- Center for Nonlinear Phenomena and Complex Systems (CENOLI), Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Stamatios C. Nicolis
- Center for Nonlinear Phenomena and Complex Systems (CENOLI), Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
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2
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Planas-Sitjà I. Personality variation improves collective decision-making in cockroaches. Behav Processes 2020; 177:104147. [PMID: 32454182 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2020.104147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2020] [Revised: 05/21/2020] [Accepted: 05/21/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Many animals live in groups and engage in collective actions which can enhance their fitness. One common example is collective decision-making, which mainly arises from social interactions that modify the individual behaviour. Despite the widespread interest in animal personalities on the one hand and in social effects (such as social organisation, social learning or anti-predator behaviour) on the other, the question of how the amount of among-individual differences, coupled with social interactions, influence group cohesion has rarely been addressed. For this purpose, I used a modelling approach based on aggregation behaviour of cockroaches to explore the mechanisms underlying such context-dependent behaviour. The results of simulations considering different degrees (none, medium, high) of personality variation in a non-social and social context were compared to experimental patterns of aggregation dynamics in cockroaches. The comparison between the simulated and experimental data show that only a model that considers differences in individuals was able to reproduce the experimental patterns of individuals and groups. In addition, the comparison between models suggest that some individuals may play a keystone role during aggregation dynamics, influencing the behaviour of others and facilitating the collective decision. Finally, I show that personality variation amplifies the effects of social inter-attractions, thus increasing the speed of aggregation, shedding light on the mechanisms underpinning social modification of individual behaviour.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isaac Planas-Sitjà
- Systematic Zoology Laboratory, Tokyo Metropolitan University, 1-1 Minami-Osawa, Hachioji, Tokyo, 192-0397, Japan.
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3
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Gruszka J, Krystkowiak-Kowalska M, Frątczak-Łagiewska K, Mądra-Bielewicz A, Charabidze D, Matuszewski S. Patterns and mechanisms for larval aggregation in carrion beetle Necrodes littoralis (Coleoptera: Silphidae). Anim Behav 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2020.01.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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4
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Hamilton JA, Wada-Katsumata A, Schal C. Role of Cuticular Hydrocarbons in German Cockroach (Blattodea: Ectobiidae) Aggregation Behavior. ENVIRONMENTAL ENTOMOLOGY 2019; 48:546-553. [PMID: 31034573 DOI: 10.1093/ee/nvz044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Aggregation can be adaptive by providing protection from predators, facilitating thermoregulation, and expediting the location of food, shelter, and mates. German cockroaches Blattella germanica L. (Blattodea: Ectobiidae), are obligatory commensals in human-built structures, where they aggregate in crevices during the day. The source of the aggregation pheromone that drives this behavior and its chemical identity remain unclear. Cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) in feces have been proposed to serve as aggregation pheromone, but this function has not been investigated in relation to visual and tactile cues that mediate aggregation. Our objective was to delineate how CHCs in the feces and on the cockroach body operate in conditions that reflect the German cockroach's ecology-either applied to shelters, representing fecal deposition, or to previously extracted cockroaches, representing shelter co-habitation with other cockroaches. Cockroaches and feces-conditioned filter papers were extracted, CHCs were purified by flash chromatography, and two-choice behavior assays were performed with first instar nymphs. Our results confirmed that nymphs preferred to rest within feces-conditioned shelters. However, purified CHCs did not elicit more aggregation than solvent-treated control shelters. Nymphs significantly preferred to rest in shelters that contained a CHC-free dead female, but the addition of CHCs to the female did not enhance aggregation. Nymphs preferred to aggregate with the CHC-free female over CHC-treated shelters. Finally, a methanol extract of feces was highly effective at eliciting aggregation, contesting previous reports that fecal CHCs serve as aggregation pheromone. We assert that CHCs play a minor, if any, role in the aggregation behavior of German cockroaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jamora A Hamilton
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, and W.M. Keck Center for Behavioral Biology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC
| | - Ayako Wada-Katsumata
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, and W.M. Keck Center for Behavioral Biology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC
| | - Coby Schal
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, and W.M. Keck Center for Behavioral Biology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC
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5
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Planas-Sitjà I, Nicolis SC, Sempo G, Deneubourg JL. The interplay between personalities and social interactions affects the cohesion of the group and the speed of aggregation. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0201053. [PMID: 30089129 PMCID: PMC6082527 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0201053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2018] [Accepted: 07/06/2018] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Collective decision-making plays a central role in group-living animals and can be crucial to the survival of a group and the fitness of its members. As group-level properties emerge from individual decisions, personality variation can be a major determinant of collective behaviours. Here, we explore the relationship between personality and social interactions to explain the speed and cohesion of collective decision making during the aggregation process of the American cockroach (Periplaneta americana). We composed groups solely with shy individuals (spending a long time sheltered) or bold individuals (spending a short time sheltered) and tested them in a binary setup (arena with two shelters) for 3 consecutive days. We analysed the shelter use of individuals and groups to compare behavioural consistency among days and analyse the collective decision-making process. Contrary to the bold groups, shy groups had a faster aggregation process with more individuals sheltered mainly because shy individuals found the shelter more rapidly. Moreover, we show that personality is modulated by social interactions. We show high behavioural plasticity in bold groups, where some individuals act shy. This also suggests that learning and regulation mechanisms may take place. This study sheds some light on the implications of individual personality for collective decision making and the key role of shy individuals in gregarious species, such as P. americana.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isaac Planas-Sitjà
- Biological and Artificial Self-organised Systems Team—CP 231, Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Campus Plaine, Boulevard du Triomphe, Bruxelles, Belgium
| | - Stamatios C. Nicolis
- Biological and Artificial Self-organised Systems Team—CP 231, Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Campus Plaine, Boulevard du Triomphe, Bruxelles, Belgium
| | - Grégory Sempo
- Biological and Artificial Self-organised Systems Team—CP 231, Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Campus Plaine, Boulevard du Triomphe, Bruxelles, Belgium
| | - Jean-Louis Deneubourg
- Biological and Artificial Self-organised Systems Team—CP 231, Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Campus Plaine, Boulevard du Triomphe, Bruxelles, Belgium
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6
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Stanley CR, Liddiard Williams H, Preziosi RF. Female clustering in cockroach aggregations-A case of social niche construction? Ethology 2018. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.12799] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Christina R. Stanley
- Department of Biological Sciences; University of Chester; Chester UK
- Faculty of Life Sciences; University of Manchester; Manchester UK
| | | | - Richard F. Preziosi
- Faculty of Life Sciences; University of Manchester; Manchester UK
- School of Science and the Environment; Manchester Metropolitan University; Manchester UK
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7
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Raven C, Shine R, Greenlees M, Schaerf TM, Ward AJW. The role of biotic and abiotic cues in stimulating aggregation by larval cane toads (Rhinella marina). Ethology 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.12645] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Camilla Raven
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences; University of Sydney; Sydney NSW 2006 Australia
| | - Richard Shine
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences; University of Sydney; Sydney NSW 2006 Australia
| | - Matthew Greenlees
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences; University of Sydney; Sydney NSW 2006 Australia
| | - Timothy M. Schaerf
- School of Science and Technology; University of New England; Armidale NSW 2350 Australia
| | - Ashley J. W. Ward
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences; University of Sydney; Sydney NSW 2006 Australia
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8
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Planas-Sitjà I, Laurent Salazar MO, Sempo G, Deneubourg JL. Emigration dynamics of cockroaches under different disturbance regimes do not depend on individual personalities. Sci Rep 2017; 7:44528. [PMID: 28300147 PMCID: PMC5353543 DOI: 10.1038/srep44528] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2016] [Accepted: 02/10/2017] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Group-level properties, such as collective movements or decisions, can be considered an outcome of the interplay between individual behavior and social interactions. However, the respective influences of individual preferences and social interactions are not evident. In this research, we study the implications of behavioral variability on the migration dynamics of a group of gregarious insects (Periplaneta americana) subjected to two different disturbance regimes (one without disturbances and another one with high frequency of disturbances). The results indicate that individuals presented consistent behavior during the nighttime (active phase of cockroaches) in both conditions. Moreover, we used a modeling approach to test the role of personality during the migration process. The model considers identical individuals (no personality) without memory and no direct inter-attraction between individuals. The agreement between theoretical and experimental results shows that behavioral variability play a secondary role during migration dynamics. Our results showing individual personality during the nighttime (spontaneous decision to forage) but not during the emigration process (induced by environmental disturbances) highlight the plasticity of personality traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- I Planas-Sitjà
- Unit of Social Ecology - CP 231, Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Campus Plaine, Boulevard du Triomphe, Building NO - level 5, B-1050 Bruxelles, Belgium
| | - M O Laurent Salazar
- Unit of Social Ecology - CP 231, Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Campus Plaine, Boulevard du Triomphe, Building NO - level 5, B-1050 Bruxelles, Belgium
| | - G Sempo
- Unit of Social Ecology - CP 231, Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Campus Plaine, Boulevard du Triomphe, Building NO - level 5, B-1050 Bruxelles, Belgium
| | - J L Deneubourg
- Unit of Social Ecology - CP 231, Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Campus Plaine, Boulevard du Triomphe, Building NO - level 5, B-1050 Bruxelles, Belgium
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9
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Boulay J, Deneubourg JL, Hédouin V, Charabidzé D. Interspecific shared collective decision-making in two forensically important species. Proc Biol Sci 2017; 283:rspb.2015.2676. [PMID: 26865296 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2015.2676] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
To date, the study of collective behaviour has mainly focused on intraspecific situations: the collective decision-making of mixed-species groups involving interspecific aggregation-segregation has received little attention. Here, we show that, in both conspecific and heterospecific groups, the larvae of two species (Lucilia sericata and Calliphora vomitoria, calliphorid carrion-feeding flies) were able to make a collective choice. In all groups, the choice was made within a few minutes and persisted throughout the period of the experiment. The monitoring of a focal individual within a group showed that these aggregations were governed by attractive and retentive effects of the group. Furthermore, the similarity observed between the conspecific and heterospecific groups suggested the existence of shared aggregation signals. The group size was found to have a stronger influence than the species of necrophagous larvae. These results should be viewed in relation to the well-known correlation between group size and heat generation. This study provides the first experimental examination of the dynamics of collective decision-making in mixed-species groups of invertebrates, contributing to our understanding of the cooperation-competition phenomenon in animal social groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julien Boulay
- CHU Lille, Université Lille 2, EA 7367-UTML-Unité de Taphonomie Médico-Légale, Lille, France Unit of Social Ecology-CP 231, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Campus Plaine, Boulevard du Triomphe, Building NO-level 5, 1050 Bruxelles, Belgium
| | - Jean-Louis Deneubourg
- Unit of Social Ecology-CP 231, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Campus Plaine, Boulevard du Triomphe, Building NO-level 5, 1050 Bruxelles, Belgium
| | - Valéry Hédouin
- CHU Lille, Université Lille 2, EA 7367-UTML-Unité de Taphonomie Médico-Légale, Lille, France
| | - Damien Charabidzé
- CHU Lille, Université Lille 2, EA 7367-UTML-Unité de Taphonomie Médico-Légale, Lille, France
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10
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Sensitivity of density-dependent threshold to species composition in arthropod aggregates. Sci Rep 2016; 6:32576. [PMID: 27576571 PMCID: PMC5006165 DOI: 10.1038/srep32576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2016] [Accepted: 08/10/2016] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
How mixed-species groups perform collective behaviours provides unique insights into the mechanisms that drive social interactions. Herein, we followed the aggregation process of two isopod species under monospecific and heterospecific conditions at three population densities. Our experimental results show that the formation of both the monospecific and heterospecific groups responds to a similar threshold function. Furthermore, the two species contribute equally to the mixed-species aggregate growth and are not spatiotemporally segregated. However, we show that the cohesion is weaker and the probability of forming aggregations is lower in heterospecific groups than in monospecific populations. Thus, our results show that amplification processes are shared between species, but that the weighting given to conspecific and heterospecific information differs. We develop a theoretical model to test this hypothesis. The model reproduces our experimental data and shows that a relatively low level of inter-attractions between species is able to generate mixed-species aggregates. Moreover the greater the total population, the lower this parameter value is needed to observe aggregation in both species. This highlights the importance to study not only qualitatively but also quantitatively the heterospecific interactions in mixed-species groups. Finally, the patterns observed could be biologically relevant in favouring the association between species.
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11
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Crall JD, Souffrant AD, Akandwanaho D, Hescock SD, Callan SE, Coronado WM, Baldwin MW, de Bivort BL. Social context modulates idiosyncrasy of behaviour in the gregarious cockroach Blaberus discoidalis. Anim Behav 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2015.10.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
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12
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Broly P, Mullier R, Devigne C, Deneubourg JL. Regulatory mechanisms of group distributions in a gregarious arthropod. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2015; 2:150428. [PMID: 26715999 PMCID: PMC4680614 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.150428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2015] [Accepted: 10/29/2015] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
In a patchy environment, how social animals manage conspecific and environmental cues in their choice of habitat is a leading issue for understanding their spatial distribution and their exploitation of resources. Here, we experimentally tested the effects of environmental heterogeneities (artificial shelters) and some of their characteristics (size and fragmentation) on the aggregation process of a common species of terrestrial isopod (Crustacea). One hundred individuals were introduced into three different heterogeneous set-ups and in a homogeneous set-up. In the four set-ups, the populations split into two aggregates: one large (approx. 70 individuals) and one smaller (approx. 20 individuals). These aggregates were not randomly distributed in the arena but were formed diametrically opposite from one another. The similarity of the results among the four set-ups shows that under experimental conditions, the environmental heterogeneities have a low impact on the aggregation dynamics and spatial patterns of the isopod, merely serving to increase the probability of nucleation of the larger aggregation at these points. By contrast, the regulation of aggregate sizes and the regular distribution of groups are signatures of local amplification processes, in agreement with the short-range activator and long-range inhibitor model (scale-dependent feedbacks). In other words, we show how small-scale interactions may govern large-scale spatial patterns. This experimental illustration of spatial self-organization is an important step towards comprehension of the complex game of competition among groups in social species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pierre Broly
- Unité d’Ecologie Sociale, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Campus de la Plaine, Bruxelles, Belgium
| | - Romain Mullier
- Laboratoire Ecologie et Biodiversité, Faculté de Gestion, Economie et Sciences, UCLILLE, Lille, France
| | - Cédric Devigne
- Laboratoire Ecologie et Biodiversité, Faculté de Gestion, Economie et Sciences, UCLILLE, Lille, France
- Forensic Taphonomy Unit, University Lille Nord de France—UDSL, 59000 Lille, France
| | - Jean-Louis Deneubourg
- Unité d’Ecologie Sociale, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Campus de la Plaine, Bruxelles, Belgium
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13
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Imitation Combined with a Characteristic Stimulus Duration Results in Robust Collective Decision-Making. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0140188. [PMID: 26465751 PMCID: PMC4605660 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0140188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2015] [Accepted: 09/22/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
For group-living animals, reaching consensus to stay cohesive is crucial for their fitness, particularly when collective motion starts and stops. Understanding the decision-making at individual and collective levels upon sudden disturbances is central in the study of collective animal behavior, and concerns the broader question of how information is distributed and evaluated in groups. Despite the relevance of the problem, well-controlled experimental studies that quantify the collective response of groups facing disruptive events are lacking. Here we study the behavior of small-sized groups of uninformed individuals subject to the departure and stop of a trained conspecific. We find that the groups reach an effective consensus: either all uninformed individuals follow the trained one (and collective motion occurs) or none does. Combining experiments and a simple mathematical model we show that the observed phenomena results from the interplay between simple mimetic rules and the characteristic duration of the stimulus, here, the time during which the trained individual is moving away. The proposed mechanism strongly depends on group size, as observed in the experiments, and even if group splitting can occur, the most likely outcome is always a coherent collective group response (consensus). The prevalence of a consensus is expected even if the groups of naives face conflicting information, e.g. if groups contain two subgroups of trained individuals, one trained to stay and one trained to leave. Our results indicate that collective decision-making and consensus in (small) animal groups are likely to be self-organized phenomena that do not involve concertation or even communication among the group members.
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14
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Durieux D, Fassotte B, Deneubourg JL, Brostaux Y, Vandereycken A, Joie E, Haubruge E, Verheggen FJ. Aggregation behavior of Harmonia axyridis under non-wintering conditions. INSECT SCIENCE 2015; 22:670-678. [PMID: 24889907 DOI: 10.1111/1744-7917.12144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/20/2014] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
The invasive multicolored Asian ladybeetle, Harmonia axyridis (Pallas) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), aggregates inside dwellings during winter to avoid cold weather. This adaptive behavior disturbs homeowners, because of the large numbers of individuals that aggregate, which induces allergic reactions. The migratory flight patterns of this species have been well documented, with individuals preferentially moving toward prominent and high color contrast elements. However, the factors involved in the selection of aggregation sites by this species have yet to be elucidated. Here, we evaluated the influence of (i) the density of individuals and (ii) the type of available shelters on decisions by H. axyridis to settle and aggregate under shelters. A dual choice bioassay conducted in the laboratory demonstrated the presence of mutual attraction to conspecifics. We also found that individuals preferentially settled under red covered shelters compared to transparent shelters, and that the type of shelter outweighed the effect of social interactions among conspecifics. Moreover, this experiment was performed under non-wintering conditions, providing the first evidence that aggregative behavior in this species can also occur under those specific conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Delphine Durieux
- Functional and Evolutionary Entomology, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, University of Liege, Gembloux, Belgium
| | - Bérénice Fassotte
- Functional and Evolutionary Entomology, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, University of Liege, Gembloux, Belgium
| | | | - Yves Brostaux
- Applied Statistics, Computer Science and Mathematics, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, University of Liege, Gembloux, Belgium
| | - Axel Vandereycken
- Functional and Evolutionary Entomology, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, University of Liege, Gembloux, Belgium
| | - Emilie Joie
- Functional and Evolutionary Entomology, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, University of Liege, Gembloux, Belgium
| | - Eric Haubruge
- Functional and Evolutionary Entomology, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, University of Liege, Gembloux, Belgium
| | - François J Verheggen
- Functional and Evolutionary Entomology, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, University of Liege, Gembloux, Belgium
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15
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Broly P, Mullier R, Devigne C, Deneubourg JL. Evidence of self-organization in a gregarious land-dwelling crustacean (Isopoda: Oniscidea). Anim Cogn 2015; 19:181-92. [PMID: 26391028 DOI: 10.1007/s10071-015-0925-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2015] [Revised: 09/14/2015] [Accepted: 09/14/2015] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
How individuals modulate their behavior according to social context is a major issue in the understanding of group initiation, group stability and the distribution of individuals. Herein, we investigated the mechanisms of aggregation behavior in Porcellio scaber, a terrestrial isopod member of the Oniscidea, a unique and common group of terrestrial crustaceans. We performed binary choice tests using shelters with a wide range of population densities (from 10 to 150 individuals). First, the observed collective choices of shelters strengthen the demonstration of a social inter-attraction in terrestrial isopods; especially, in less than 10 min, the aggregation reaches its maximal value, and in less than 100 s, the collective choice is made, i.e., one shelter is selected. In addition, the distribution of individuals shows the existence of (1) quorum rules, by which an aggregate cannot emerge under a threshold value of individuals, and (2) a maximum population size, which leads to a splitting of the populations. These collective results are in agreement with the individual's probability of joining and leaving an aggregate attesting to a greater attractiveness of the group to migrants and greater retention of conspecifics with group size. In this respect, we show that the emergence of aggregation in terrestrial isopods is based on amplification mechanisms. And lastly, our results indicate how local cues about the spatial organization of individuals may favor this emergence and how individuals spatiotemporally reorganize toward a compact form reducing the exchange with the environment. This study provides the first evidence of self-organization in a gregarious crustacean, similar as has been widely emphasized in gregarious insects and eusocial insects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pierre Broly
- Unité d'Ecologie Sociale, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Campus de la Plaine, Brussels, Belgium.
| | - Romain Mullier
- Laboratoire Ecologie & Biodiversité, Faculté de Gestion, Economie & Sciences, UCLILLE, Lille, France
| | - Cédric Devigne
- Laboratoire Ecologie & Biodiversité, Faculté de Gestion, Economie & Sciences, UCLILLE, Lille, France
| | - Jean-Louis Deneubourg
- Unité d'Ecologie Sociale, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Campus de la Plaine, Brussels, Belgium
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16
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Collective resilience in a disturbed environment: stability of the activity rhythm and group personality in Periplaneta americana. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2015. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-015-2000-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
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17
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Planas-Sitjà I, Deneubourg JL, Gibon C, Sempo G. Group personality during collective decision-making: a multi-level approach. Proc Biol Sci 2015; 282:20142515. [PMID: 25652834 PMCID: PMC4344149 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2014.2515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2014] [Accepted: 01/07/2015] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Collective decision-making processes emerge from social feedback networks within a group. Many studies on collective behaviour underestimate the role of individual personality and, as a result, personality is rarely analysed in the context of collective dynamics. Here, we show evidence of sheltering behaviour personality in a gregarious insect (Periplaneta americana), which is characterized by a collective personality at the group level. We also highlight that the individuals within groups exhibited consistent personality traits in their probability of sheltering and total time sheltered during the three trials over one week. Moreover, the group personality, which arises from the synergy between the distribution of behaviour profiles in the group and social amplifications, affected the sheltering dynamics. However, owing to its robustness, personality did not affect the group probability of reaching a consensus. Finally, to prove social interactions, we developed a new statistical method that will be helpful for future research on personality traits and group behaviour. This approach will help to identify the circumstances under which particular group compositions may improve the fitness of individuals in gregarious species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isaac Planas-Sitjà
- Unit of Social Ecology-CP 231, Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Campus Plaine, Boulevard du Triomphe, Building NO-level 5, 1050 Bruxelles, Belgium
| | - Jean-Louis Deneubourg
- Unit of Social Ecology-CP 231, Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Campus Plaine, Boulevard du Triomphe, Building NO-level 5, 1050 Bruxelles, Belgium
| | - Céline Gibon
- Unit of Social Ecology-CP 231, Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Campus Plaine, Boulevard du Triomphe, Building NO-level 5, 1050 Bruxelles, Belgium
| | - Grégory Sempo
- Unit of Social Ecology-CP 231, Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Campus Plaine, Boulevard du Triomphe, Building NO-level 5, 1050 Bruxelles, Belgium
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Sempo G, Canonge S, Deneubourg JL. From aggregation to dispersion: how habitat fragmentation prevents the emergence of consensual decision making in a group. PLoS One 2013; 8:e78951. [PMID: 24244392 PMCID: PMC3823946 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0078951] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2013] [Accepted: 09/26/2013] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
In fragmented landscape, individuals have to cope with the fragmentation level in order to aggregate in the same patch and take advantage of group-living. Aggregation results from responses to environmental heterogeneities and/or positive influence of the presence of congeners. In this context, the fragmentation of resting sites highlights how individuals make a compromise between two individual preferences: (1) being aggregated with conspecifics and (2) having access to these resting sites. As in previous studies, when the carrying capacity of available resting sites is large enough to contain the entire group, a single aggregation site is collectively selected. In this study, we have uncoupled fragmentation and habitat loss: the population size and total surface of the resting sites are maintained at a constant value, an increase in fragmentation implies a decrease in the carrying capacity of each shelter. For our model organism, Blattella germanica, our experimental and theoretical approach shows that, for low fragmentation level, a single resting site is collectively selected. However, for higher level of fragmentation, individuals are randomly distributed between fragments and the total sheltered population decreases. In the latter case, social amplification process is not activated and consequently, consensual decision making cannot emerge and the distribution of individuals among sites is only driven by their individual propensity to find a site. This intimate relation between aggregation pattern and landscape patchiness described in our theoretical model is generic for several gregarious species. We expect that any group-living species showing the same structure of interactions should present the same type of dispersion-aggregation response to fragmentation regardless of their level of social complexity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grégory Sempo
- Unit of Social Ecology, Université libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
- * E-mail:
| | - Stéphane Canonge
- Unit of Social Ecology, Université libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
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19
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Sempo G, Dagorn L, Robert M, Deneubourg J. Impact of increasing deployment of artificial floating objects on the spatial distribution of social fish species. J Appl Ecol 2013. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.12140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Grégory Sempo
- Unit of Social Ecology Université libre de Bruxelles CP231 av. F. Roosevelt 50 1050 Brussels Belgium
| | - Laurent Dagorn
- UMR 212, Ecosystèmes Marins Exploités Centre de Recherche Halieutique Méditerranéenne et Tropicale (CRH) IRD Sète France
| | - Marianne Robert
- UMR 212, Ecosystèmes Marins Exploités Centre de Recherche Halieutique Méditerranéenne et Tropicale (CRH) IRD Sète France
- Laboratoire de Technologie et Biologie Halieutiques Institut français de recherche pour l'exploitation de la mer (Ifremer) Lorient France
| | - Jean‐Louis Deneubourg
- Laboratoire de Technologie et Biologie Halieutiques Institut français de recherche pour l'exploitation de la mer (Ifremer) Lorient France
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20
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Laurent Salazar MO, Deneubourg JL, Sempo G. Information cascade ruling the fleeing behaviour of a gregarious insect. Anim Behav 2013. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2013.03.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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21
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Boulay J, Devigne C, Gosset D, Charabidze D. Evidence of active aggregation behaviour in Lucilia sericata larvae and possible implication of a conspecific mark. Anim Behav 2013. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2013.03.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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22
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Wheeler CA, Cardé RT. Defensive allomones function as aggregation pheromones in diapausing Ladybird Beetles, Hippodamia convergens. J Chem Ecol 2013; 39:723-32. [PMID: 23657436 DOI: 10.1007/s10886-013-0293-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2012] [Revised: 03/29/2013] [Accepted: 04/23/2013] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Identification of the stimuli responsible for the formation of an aggregation can be used to distinguish between social and non-social aggregations and help in the process of identifying the adaptive benefits of the gregarious behavior. The convergent ladybird beetle, Hippodamia convergens, forms dense aggregations during winter diapause. The mechanisms of conspecific attraction and hibernacula site selection of H. convergens are not well understood. In laboratory and field bioassays, we evaluated the role of three defensive compounds in the formation of H. convergens aggregations. Diapausing H. convergens aggregated within the section of an arena exposed to alkylmethoxypyrazines. 2-Isobutyl-3-methoxypyrazine (IBMP) caused the strongest aggregative effect. Beetles also aggregated to some doses of 2-sec-butyl-3-methoxypyrazine, but appeared to be repelled at higher doses. A third constituent, 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine, generally had little effect on the distribution of beetles, although the highest dose tested was repellent. Beetles also aggregated to a blend of these alkylmethoxypyrazines at their natural ratio. During fall migration to overwintering sites, more beetles aggregated in artificial hibernacula baited with IBMP, confirming its function as an aggregation pheromone. These three pyrazines also function as warning odors that, in conjunction with other aposematic displays (contrasting red and black coloration, gregarious behavior, reflex bleeding), contribute to the multi-modal, anti-predatory defense of coccinellid beetles and some other arthropods. Confirmation of the role of some alkylmethoxypyrazines in coccinellid aggregations suggests that these defensive allomones have been co-opted for intraspecific communication.
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McClure M, Morcos L, Despland E. Collective choice of a higher-protein food source by gregarious caterpillars occurs through differences in exploration. Behav Ecol 2012. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/ars141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
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Broly P, Mullier R, Deneubourg JL, Devigne C. Aggregation in woodlice: social interaction and density effects. Zookeys 2012:133-44. [PMID: 22536104 PMCID: PMC3335410 DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.176.2258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2011] [Accepted: 01/13/2012] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Terrestrial isopods are known to be sensitive to humidity, brightness or temperature. Until now, aggregation was assumed to depend on these sensitivities as a result of individual preferences. In this paper, we show that the social component is also important in the isopod aggregation phenomenon. In experimental arenas with two identical shelters up to nearly 90% of woodlice aggregated under shelters. This aggregation was quick as in 10 minutes most of the animals aggregated, irrespective of their density. Nonetheless, 10-15% of the animals walked around the arena, rarely forming very small and short-lasting aggregates outside shelters. Woodlice aggregated preferably under one of the shelters in 77% of experiments. Indeed, almost 80% of the animals out of 40, 60 or 80 animals in the arena aggregated under one shelter. In arenas with 100 individuals the aggregations were proportionally smaller (70%). Our results revealed that 70 animals was a maximum number of woodlice in an aggregate. We concluded that the location of aggregates is strongly governed by individual preferences but the dynamics of aggregation and collective choice are controlled by social interaction between congeners. The tested densities of the animals in the arena did not impact the aggregation patterns.
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Zirbes L, Brostaux Y, Mescher M, Jason M, Haubruge E, Deneubourg JL. Self-assemblage and quorum in the earthworm Eisenia fetida (Oligochaete, Lumbricidae). PLoS One 2012; 7:e32564. [PMID: 22396774 PMCID: PMC3291560 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0032564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2011] [Accepted: 01/30/2012] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite their ubiquity and ecological significance in temperate ecosystems, the behavioural ecology of earthworms is not well described. This study examines the mechanisms that govern aggregation behaviour specially the tendency of individuals to leave or join groups in the compost earthworm Eisenia fetida, a species with considerable economic importance, especially in waste management applications. Through behavioural assays combined with mathematical modelling, we provide the first evidence of self-assembled social structures in earthworms and describe key mechanisms involved in cluster formation. We found that the probability of an individual joining a group increased with group size, while the probability of leaving decreased. Moreover, attraction to groups located at a distance was observed, suggesting a role for volatile cues in cluster formation. The size of earthworm clusters appears to be a key factor determining the stability of the group. These findings enhance our understanding of intra-specific interactions in earthworms and have potential implications for extraction and collection of earthworms in vermicomposting processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lara Zirbes
- Functional and Evolutionary Entomology, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, University of Liege, Gembloux, Belgium.
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26
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Canonge S, Deneubourg JL, Sempo G. Group living enhances individual resources discrimination: the use of public information by cockroaches to assess shelter quality. PLoS One 2011; 6:e19748. [PMID: 21701692 PMCID: PMC3119082 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0019748] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2010] [Accepted: 04/15/2011] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
In group-living organisms, consensual decision of site selection results from the interplay between individual responses to site characteristics and to group-members. Individuals independently gather personal information by exploring their environment. Through social interaction, the presence of others provides public information that could be used by individuals and modulates the individual probability of joining/leaving a site. The way that individual's information processing and the network of interactions influence the dynamics of public information (depending on population size) that in turn affect discrimination in site quality is a central question. Using binary choice between sheltering sites of different quality, we demonstrate that cockroaches in group dramatically outperform the problem-solving ability of single individual. Such use of public information allows animals to discriminate between alternatives whereas isolated individuals are ineffective (i.e. the personal discrimination efficiency is weak). Our theoretical results, obtained from a mathematical model based on behavioral rules derived from experiments, highlight that the collective discrimination emerges from competing amplification processes relying on the modulation of the individual sheltering time without shelters comparison and communication modulation. Finally, we well demonstrated here the adaptive value of such decision algorithm. Without any behavioral change, the system is able to shift to a more effective strategy when alternatives are present: the modification of the spatio-temporal distributions of individuals leading to the collective selection of the best resource. This collective discrimination implying such parsimonious and widespread mechanism must be shared by many group living-species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stéphane Canonge
- Unit of Social Ecology, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Brussels, Belgium.
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27
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Clotuche G, Mailleux AC, Astudillo Fernández A, Deneubourg JL, Detrain C, Hance T. The formation of collective silk balls in the spider mite Tetranychus urticae Koch. PLoS One 2011; 6:e18854. [PMID: 21533150 PMCID: PMC3077419 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0018854] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2010] [Accepted: 03/22/2011] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Tetranychus urticae is a phytophagous mite that forms colonies of several thousand individuals. These mites construct a common web to protect the colony. When plants become overcrowded and food resources become scarce, individuals gather at the plant apex to form a ball composed of mites and their silk threads. This ball is a structure facilitating group dispersal by wind or animal transport. Until now, no quantitative study had been done on this collective form of migration. This is the first attempt to understand the mechanisms that underlie the emergence and growth of the ball. We studied this collective behaviour under laboratory conditions on standardized infested plants. Our results show that the collective displacement and the formation of balls result from a recruitment process: by depositing silk threads on their way up to the plant apex, mites favour and amplify the recruitment toward the balls. A critical threshold (quorum response) in the cumulative flow of mites must be reached to observe the emergence of a ball. At the beginning of the balls formation, mites form an aggregate. After 24 hours, the aggregated mites are trapped inside the silk balls by the complex network of silk threads and finally die, except for recently arrived individuals. The balls are mainly composed of immature stages. Our study reconstructs the key events that lead to the formation of silk balls. They suggest that the interplay between mites' density, plant morphology and plant density lead to different modes of dispersions (individual or collective) and under what conditions populations might adopt a collective strategy rather than one that is individually oriented. Moreover, our results lead to discuss two aspects of the cooperation and altruism: the importance of Allee effects during colonization of new plants and the importance of the size of a founding group.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gwendoline Clotuche
- Earth and Life Institute, Biodiversity Research Centre, Université catholique de Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
- * E-mail:
| | - Anne-Catherine Mailleux
- Earth and Life Institute, Biodiversity Research Centre, Université catholique de Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
| | | | | | - Claire Detrain
- Unit of Social Ecology, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Bruxelles, Belgium
| | - Thierry Hance
- Earth and Life Institute, Biodiversity Research Centre, Université catholique de Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
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Okada J, Mizuta S, Toh Y. Refuge Size Preference in the Field Cricket Gryllus bimaculatus. Zoolog Sci 2011; 28:243-8. [DOI: 10.2108/zsj.28.243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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Devigne C, Broly P, Deneubourg JL. Individual preferences and social interactions determine the aggregation of woodlice. PLoS One 2011; 6:e17389. [PMID: 21364761 PMCID: PMC3045452 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0017389] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2010] [Accepted: 02/02/2011] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The aggregation of woodlice in dark and moist places is considered an adaptation to land life and most studies are focused on its functionality or on the behavioural mechanisms related to the individual's response to abiotic factors. Until now, no clear experimental demonstration was available about aggregation resulting from inter-attraction between conspecifics. Methodology/Main Findings We present the dynamics of aggregation, not previously described in detail in literature, as being independent of the experimental conditions: homogeneous and heterogeneous environments with identical or different shelters. Indeed whatever these conditions, the aggregation is very quick. In less than 10 minutes more than 50% of woodlice were aggregated in several small groups in the homogeneous environment or under shelters in the heterogeneous environment. After this fast aggregation, woodlice progressively moved into a single aggregate or under one shelter. Conclusions/Significance Here we show for the first time that aggregation in woodlice implies a strong social component and results from a trade-off between individual preferences and inter-attraction between individuals. Moreover, our results reveal that the response to the heterogeneities affects only the location of the aggregates and not the level of aggregation, and demonstrate the strong inter-attraction between conspecifics which can outweigh individual preferences. This inter-attraction can lead to situations that could seem sub-optimal.
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Zirbes L, Deneubourg JL, Brostaux Y, Haubruge E. A New Case of Consensual Decision: Collective Movement in Earthworms. Ethology 2010. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1439-0310.2010.01768.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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31
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Toffin E, Di Paolo D, Campo A, Detrain C, Deneubourg JL. Shape transition during nest digging in ants. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2009; 106:18616-20. [PMID: 19846774 PMCID: PMC2773997 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0902685106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2009] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Nest building in social insects is among the collective processes that show highly conservative features such as basic modules (chambers and galleries) or homeostatic properties. Although ant nests share common characteristics, they exhibit a high structural variability, of which morphogenesis and underlying mechanisms remain largely unknown. We conducted two-dimensional nest-digging experiments under homogeneous laboratory conditions to investigate the shape diversity that emerges only from digging dynamics and without the influence of any environmental heterogeneity. These experiments revealed that, during the excavation, a morphological transition occurs because the primary circular cavity evolves into a ramified structure through a branching process. Such a transition is observed, whatever the number of ants involved, but occurs more frequently for a larger number of workers. A stochastic model highlights the central role of density effects in shape transition. These results indicate that nest digging shares similar properties with various physical, chemical, and biological systems. Moreover, our model of morphogenesis provides an explanatory framework for shape transitions in decentralized growing structures in group-living animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Etienne Toffin
- Service d'Ecologie Sociale, CP231, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Plaine Campus, Boulevard du Triomphe, 1050 Brussels, Belgium.
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