Multiscale analysis of eusocial traffic dynamics

• Ano de defesa: 2020
• Autor(a) principal: Quiroga, Gladys Julieth Castiblanco
• Tipo de documento: Tese
• Tipo de acesso: Acesso aberto
• Idioma: eng
• Instituição de defesa: Universidade Federal de Viçosa
• Palavras-chave em Português: Térmita; Busca de alimento; Insetos - Comportamento; Locomoção; Ecologia Teórica
• Link de acesso: https://locus.ufv.br//handle/123456789/28946

Different from human traffic, the traffic of social insects seems highly smooth and stable. Here, we tested the traffic stability of Constrictotermes cyphergaster aiming to know the causes behind their smooth traffic. Our results indicate that the patterns formed at the colony level (the macro- scopic scale) are a consequence of inter-individual interactions (the micro- scopic scale). In particular, our findings indicate that the stability of ter- mites’ traffic is a consequence of the coordinated (co-operative) movements which emerge from inhibitory interindividual interactions. In addition, we showed that an inverse cycle of light, temperature, and relative humidity can reset the foraging rhythm of nocturnal open-forager termites. Our pro- tocol was highly effective to induce foraging during the day. Keywords: Forraging. Traffic dynamics. Termites