INVESTIGADORES
TADEY Mariana
artículos
Título:
Waste Management in the Leaf-Cutting Ant Acromyrmex lobicornis: Division of Labour, Aggressive Behaviour, and Location of External Refuse Dumps
Autor/es:
SEBASTIÁN BALLARI; ALEJANDRO G. FARJI-BRENER; MARIANA TADEY
Revista:
JOURNAL OF INSECT BEHAVIOR
Editorial:
Springer
Referencias:
Año: 2007 vol. 20 p. 87 - 98
ISSN:
0892-7553
Resumen:
In leaf-cutting ants, the handling of waste materials from the fungus culture
increases the risk of infection. Consequently, ants should manage their waste
in a way that minimizes the spread of diseases. We investigated whether in
Acromyrmex lobicornis, waste-worker ants (a) also perform roles in foraging
or mound maintenance, (b) are morphologically different than other ant
workers, and (c) are aggressively discriminated by other worker ants from
the same colony. In addition, we investigated whether the location of external
waste piles minimizes the probability that wastes spread to the ant nest. In
the field, we (a) marked with different colours waste-workers, foragers and
mound-workers and monitored whether these ants interchanged their tasks;, waste-worker ants (a) also perform roles in foraging
or mound maintenance, (b) are morphologically different than other ant
workers, and (c) are aggressively discriminated by other worker ants from
the same colony. In addition, we investigated whether the location of external
waste piles minimizes the probability that wastes spread to the ant nest. In
the field, we (a) marked with different colours waste-workers, foragers and
mound-workers and monitored whether these ants interchanged their tasks;(b) are morphologically different than other ant
workers, and (c) are aggressively discriminated by other worker ants from
the same colony. In addition, we investigated whether the location of external
waste piles minimizes the probability that wastes spread to the ant nest. In
the field, we (a) marked with different colours waste-workers, foragers and
mound-workers and monitored whether these ants interchanged their tasks;(c) are aggressively discriminated by other worker ants from
the same colony. In addition, we investigated whether the location of external
waste piles minimizes the probability that wastes spread to the ant nest. In
the field, we (a) marked with different colours waste-workers, foragers and
mound-workers and monitored whether these ants interchanged their tasks;(a) marked with different colours waste-workers, foragers and
mound-workers and monitored whether these ants interchanged their tasks;
(b) measured head width, head length, hind femur length and total length
of waste-workers; foragers and mound-workers; (c) forced field encounters
between waste-workers and foragers, and (d) measured the cardinal orientation
of the waste piles in relation to the colony mound. Waste-worker ants
did not perform other function outside the nest; neither foragers nor moundworkers
managed the waste.Moreover, waste-workers were smaller than foragers
and mound-workers, and were attacked if they tried to enter their nest
using foraging entrances. The location of external refuse dumps also appears
to reduce contamination risks. Waste piles always were down-slope, and often
followed the prevailing wind direction. The importance of behaviours
such as the division of labour, aggressions against waste-workers and nest
compartmentalization (i.e., the orientation of external waste piles) to minimize
the spread of pathogens is discussed.measured head width, head length, hind femur length and total length
of waste-workers; foragers and mound-workers; (c) forced field encounters
between waste-workers and foragers, and (d) measured the cardinal orientation
of the waste piles in relation to the colony mound. Waste-worker ants
did not perform other function outside the nest; neither foragers nor moundworkers
managed the waste.Moreover, waste-workers were smaller than foragers
and mound-workers, and were attacked if they tried to enter their nest
using foraging entrances. The location of external refuse dumps also appears
to reduce contamination risks. Waste piles always were down-slope, and often
followed the prevailing wind direction. The importance of behaviours
such as the division of labour, aggressions against waste-workers and nest
compartmentalization (i.e., the orientation of external waste piles) to minimize
the spread of pathogens is discussed.(c) forced field encounters
between waste-workers and foragers, and (d) measured the cardinal orientation
of the waste piles in relation to the colony mound. Waste-worker ants
did not perform other function outside the nest; neither foragers nor moundworkers
managed the waste.Moreover, waste-workers were smaller than foragers
and mound-workers, and were attacked if they tried to enter their nest
using foraging entrances. The location of external refuse dumps also appears
to reduce contamination risks. Waste piles always were down-slope, and often
followed the prevailing wind direction. The importance of behaviours
such as the division of labour, aggressions against waste-workers and nest
compartmentalization (i.e., the orientation of external waste piles) to minimize
the spread of pathogens is discussed.(d) measured the cardinal orientation
of the waste piles in relation to the colony mound. Waste-worker ants
did not perform other function outside the nest; neither foragers nor moundworkers
managed the waste.Moreover, waste-workers were smaller than foragers
and mound-workers, and were attacked if they tried to enter their nest
using foraging entrances. The location of external refuse dumps also appears
to reduce contamination risks. Waste piles always were down-slope, and often
followed the prevailing wind direction. The importance of behaviours
such as the division of labour, aggressions against waste-workers and nest
compartmentalization (i.e., the orientation of external waste piles) to minimize
the spread of pathogens is discussed.
such as the division of labour, aggressions against waste-workers and nest
compartmentalization (i.e., the orientation of external waste piles) to minimize
the spread of pathogens is discussed.such as the division of labour, aggressions against waste-workers and nest
compartmentalization (i.e., the orientation of external waste piles) to minimize
the spread of pathogens is discussed.