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How experienced individuals contribute to an improvement in collective performance in ants

Langridge, Elizabeth A.; Sendova-Franks, Ana B.; Franks, Nigel R.

Authors

Elizabeth A. Langridge

Ana Sendova-Franks Ana.Sendova-Franks@uwe.ac.uk
Associate Professor in Biometry & Animal Behaviour

Nigel R. Franks



Abstract

Certain groups of organisms are capable of improving their collective performance with experience. In a recent study, we demonstrated that, over successive emigrations, colonies of the ant Temnothorax albipennis are able to improve their collective performance by reducing the time taken to complete an emigration (Langridge et al., Behav Ecol Sociobiol 56:523-529, 2004). In this paper, by recording the performance of individually marked workers during repeated emigrations, we were able to analyse some of the ways in which time gains are achieved. We found that: (1) those transporters that also transported in the preceding emigration began to transport earlier in the current emigration and, in the majority of emigrations, transported more items than those transporters that had not transported in the preceding emigration; (2) the time that elapsed before the first item was transported into the new nest reduced over successive emigrations, and this first item was, in the majority of emigrations, carried by a transporter that had also transported in the preceding emigration; (3) the number of adults that were transported reduced over successive emigrations. Our results strongly suggest that the behaviour of transporters that also transported in a preceding emigration may be modified as a result of their experience and that, consequently, their efforts in the next emigration make a major contribution to the improved performance of the colony as a whole. © 2007 Springer-Verlag.

Citation

Langridge, E. A., Sendova-Franks, A. B., & Franks, N. R. (2008). How experienced individuals contribute to an improvement in collective performance in ants. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology, 62(3), 447-456. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00265-007-0472-5

Journal Article Type Article
Publication Date Jan 1, 2008
Deposit Date Dec 22, 2010
Journal Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology
Print ISSN 0340-5443
Publisher Springer (part of Springer Nature)
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 62
Issue 3
Pages 447-456
DOI https://doi.org/10.1007/s00265-007-0472-5
Keywords learning, improvement in collecttive performence, experience, social, behaviour, ant
Public URL https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/1019962
Publisher URL http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00265-007-0472-5