Growth and survival of the superorganism: Ant colony macronutrient intake and investment.

ABSTRACT: In this study, we used two common ant species (Lasius niger and Lasius neoniger) to assay how they translate variation in the diet (both in composition and frequency) into growth. We measured colony development for over 8 months and measured several phenotypic traits of the worker caste, and examined whether forager preference corresponded with diet quality. Optimal colony growth was a balance between survival and growth, and each of these was maximized with different nutrient regimes. Interestingly, forager preference was not totally aligned with the diet that maximized colony growth. Our results highlight that: (a) organism and superorganism size are controlled by the same nutrients, and this may reflect a common molecular basis for size across life's organizational levels,

SUBMITTER: Gutierrez Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7391535 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature