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Poster Display

Physiology, Biochemistry, and Toxicology

Poster: PBT, Physiology and Toxicology

D3376: Collective energetic regulation in clonal raider ant colonies (Oocerea biroi)

Tuesday, November 12, 2024
9:00 AM – 5:00 PM MST
Location: Phoenix Convention Center, Exhibit Hall 6, PCC
Poster Display
Social insect systems are ideal for investigating patterns of behavior associated with functional and physiological integration. Within ant colonies, individual behaviors are affected by their contact with other ants and  these inter-individual interactions give rise to colony-level physiological and physical properties which are often assumed to help regulate their energy expenditure as they grow larger and experience different energetic landscapes. Working with clonal raider ants (Ooceraea biroi), we aim to distinguish the behavioral patterns associated with fluctuations in colony-level energetic expenditure. O. biroi colonies typically experience a foraging phase in the presence of larvae and a static phase when there are no larvae. While we assume the phases vary in energetic demands, this prediction has not been tested, nor do we understand how these changes may be regulated. We experimentally created these during these periods of scenarios of high and low energy demand to better understand and analyze how collective behaviors are modulated in relation to the colony energy expenditure.Colony metabolic rates were estimated using stop-flow respirometry to measure CO2 production and O2 consumption. Video was recorded simultaneously to assess behavior. Behavioral measurements included activity rates, speed, proportion of active workers, and interaction network properties, such as degree centrality and density.