Underlying mechanisms and ecological context of variation in exploratory behavior of the Argentine ant, Linepithema humile.

ABSTRACT: Uncovering how and why animals explore their environment is fundamental for understanding population dynamics, the spread of invasive species, species interactions, etc. In social animals, individuals within a group can vary in their exploratory behavior, and the behavioral composition of the group can determine its collective success. Workers of the invasive Argentine ant (Linepithema humile) exhibit individual variation in exploratory behavior, which affects the colony's collective nest selection behavior. Here, we examine the mechanisms underlying this behavioral variation in exploratory behavior and determine its implications for the ecology of this species. We first establish that individual variation in exploratory behavior is repeatable and consistent across situations. We then show

SUBMITTER: Page H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6307874 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature