Homopteran chemical signatures reduce aggression of tending ants

Summary. Because generalist ants are aggressive towards foreign insects, the recognition of homopterans by tending ants is critical in ant/homopteran trophobiosis. Herein we report experimental evidence indicating that Argentine ant, Linepithema humile (Mayr) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) learn to associate the production of honeydew with the chemical characteristics of homopteran cuticle, suppressing ant aggression and allowing the ants to tend homopterans. Although chemically-mediated associative learning is well understood in honeybee foraging, to our knowledge, it has not been reported before in ant/homopteran trophobiosis.     

Reduced Diversity and Complexity in the Leaf-Litter Ant Assemblage of Colombian Coffee Plantations

Abstract:  Coffee agroecosystems have recently undergone a dramatic intensification in Colombia, a megadiverse country, especially in terms of the nature of shade cover. We tested for changes in the composition, ecological associations, and diversity of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) along a gradient of intensification of coffee production in the Colombian Andes. We surveyed 16 farms in two regions, classified into four management types: (1) forest (no agriculture), (2) organic polygeneric shaded coffee, (3) monogeneric shaded coffee, and (4) sun coffee (unshaded). Forty sampling units (20 1-m² plots on the ground and 20 coffee bushes) were established at each farm between 2001 and 2002. We sampled with a mini-winkler litter extraction technique and through visual searching. Organic polygeneric shaded-coffee plantations contained significantly higher ant species richness, and their ant assemblages resembled the forest patches more than any other management type. The number of statistically significant associations among ant species dropped with production intensification, as did the number of ant species involved in such associations. The network of ant associations in shaded systems transformed into an extremely simplified network in sun coffee, with a few dominant ants extending almost entirely throughout the crop. Intensification of coffee agriculture not only caused loss of litter ant species (especially forest species) but also a reduction in the complexity of the ant assemblage in the leaf litter of this agroecosystem.     

湖南省蚂蚁区系研究

本文对湖南73种蚂蚁进行了区系研究.结果表明:湖南蚂蚁区系以东洋成分为主体,其次为东洋与古北共有成分.     

Complex chemical communication in the crazy ant <Emphasis Type="Italic">Paratrechina longicornis</Emphasis> Latreille (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

Summary. The formicine ant Paratrechina longicornis is known for its extremely opportunistic foraging behaviour. Only a single trail pheromone source, the rectum, was previously described from this ant. Our detailed examination of this ant’s chemical communication system revealed the presence of at least four sources of pheromones. Rectum, poison sac, and Dufour gland contain orientation components with decreasing effectiveness and persistence (in the sequence mentioned) as well as attractants with increasing effectiveness. Furthermore, the mandibular gland contains repellents, and a releaser of defensive behaviour. This set of various signals of different strength and persistence allows an extraordinary degree of flexibility and efficiency in the collective behaviour of P. longicornis, especially food exploitation, and thus may contribute to this insect’s overall ecological success.     

The dissolution of cooperative groups: mechanisms of queen mortality in incipient fire ant colonies

In several species of ants, queens often form temporary cooperative associations during colony foundation. These associations end soon after the eclosion of the first workers with the death or expulsion of all but one of the queens. This study examined competition between foundress queens of the fire ant Solenopsis invicta. Although attacks by the workers contributed to queen mortality, queens gained no advantage by producing more workers than their co-foundresses. Restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis of mitochondrial DNA showed that the queen producing more workers during colony founding was no more likely to survive than the less productive queen. In experimentally manipulated colonies in which all the workers were daughters of only one of the queens, the mother of the workers was no more likely to survive than the unrelated queen. Queens producing diploid males reared fewer offspring but were as likely to survive as queens producing only workers. These results suggest that workers do not discriminate between related and unrelated queens within colonies. Aggressive encounters between queens were common. Queens were more likely to die or be expelled if paired with heavier queens or if they lost more weight than their co-foundress during the claustral period. Finally, when queens were separated by screens through which workers could pass, the workers usually attacked and killed the queen farther from the brood. These results suggest that queen survival is promoted by a high fighting ability relative to co-foundresses, rather than by increased worker production, and that workers respond to queen differences that are independent of kinship. Received: 8 September 1995/Accepted after revision: 5 March 1996     

马斯京根洪水演算模型的改进--兼论其参数的蚁群算法率定

针对马斯京根洪水演算模型的近似性问题，用曲线积分法改进了原模型中时段流量的简单算术平均值法，并利用连续性空间优化问题的蚁群算法对改进的马斯京根洪水演算模型进行参数最优估计，使演算流量更加接近实际。     

基于铀尾矿库核素污染监测WSN分簇路由协议

用WSN对铀尾矿库核素污染监测优于传统有线布置,为解决无线传输路由能耗的问题,提出了一种基于蚁群算法的前向传输分簇路由协议。该协议以分簇的方式来减少数据发送量与寻优开销,在下一跳接收节点选择阶段,以前向传输区域为切入点,利用优化的蚁群算法进行多路径搜索最后选出满足条件的最优路径。仿真实验表明,CFTA协议的网络生存周期有效延长,并减小了能耗。     

Queen acceptance and the complexity of nestmate discrimination in the Argentine ant

In most social insect species, individuals recognize and behave aggressively towards non-nestmate conspecifics to maintain colony integrity. However, introduced populations of the invasive Argentine ant, Linepithema humile, exhibit pronounced variation in intraspecific aggression denoting diversity in nestmate recognition behavior, which possibly shapes their social structure and the varying levels of unicoloniality observed among these populations. One approach to better understand differential aggression behaviors towards conspecifics and recognition cue perception and response in L. humile is to examine variation in nestmate discrimination capability among genetically distinct colonies under different social contexts. Consequently, we investigated the dynamics of queen and worker recognition in southeastern US L. humile queenless and queenright colonies by measuring rates of non-nestmate worker and queen adoption and intercolony genetic similarity. Aggression levels between colony pairs differed and were associated with non-nestmate worker, but not queen adoption. Adoption of queens and workers was a function of host colony origin, while colony queen number affected adoption of queens, but not workers, with queens more readily accepted by queenless hosts. Fecundity of adopted non-nestmate queens was comparable to that of rejected non-nestmate and host colony queens, suggesting that queen fecundity did not affect adoption decisions. Genetic similarity between colonies ranged from 30 to 77% alleles shared, with more genetically similar colonies showing lower levels of intraspecific aggression. Non-nestmate queens and workers that were more genetically similar to host colony workers were more likely to be adopted. We provide the first evidence for the role of L. humile colony queen number on queen discrimination and suggest an effect of resident queens on worker conspecific acceptance thresholds. Our findings indicate a role for genetically based cues in L. humile nestmate recognition. However, subtle discrimination capability seems to be influenced by the social context, as demonstrated by more frequent recognition errors in queenless colonies.     

基于自适应蚁群算法的化工园区毒气泄漏事故疏散路径规划*

为了降低人员在化工园区毒气泄漏事故中的伤亡风险,提出1种综合考虑疏散路径距离和毒性负荷值的自适应蚁群算法。通过建立路径评价函数,将疏散路径的毒性负荷值引入蚁群算法中,改进算法的信息素更新策略,采用启发式因子自适应调整策略并改进算法的启发式函数。运用Matlab软件进行仿真,将算法应用到某化工园区毒气泄漏事故中。研究结果表明:该自适应蚁群算法可以保持较高的搜索速度,在寻找距离最短道路的同时避开毒性负荷较高的疏散路径,可为化工园区毒气泄漏事故的应急疏散路径规划提供参考。