Leafcutter ants adjust foraging behaviours when exposed to noise disturbance.
We investigate the impact of anthropogenic noise on the foraging efficiency of leafcutter ants (Acromyrmex octospinosus) in a controlled laboratory experiment. Anthropogenic noise is a widespread, pervasive and increasing environmental pollutant and its negative impacts on animal fitness and behavio...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Public Library of Science (PLoS)
2022-01-01
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| Series: | PLoS ONE |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0269517 |
| _version_ | 1818047566890139648 |
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| author | Briony Byrne Selvino R de Kort Scott M Pedley |
| author_facet | Briony Byrne Selvino R de Kort Scott M Pedley |
| author_sort | Briony Byrne |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | We investigate the impact of anthropogenic noise on the foraging efficiency of leafcutter ants (Acromyrmex octospinosus) in a controlled laboratory experiment. Anthropogenic noise is a widespread, pervasive and increasing environmental pollutant and its negative impacts on animal fitness and behaviour have been well documented. Much of this evidence has come from studies concerning vertebrate species with very little evidence for terrestrial invertebrates, especially social living invertebrates. We compare movement speed, forage fragment size, and colony activity levels of ants exposed to intermittent elevated noise and in ambient noise conditions. We use intermittent and temporally unpredictable bursts of white noise produced from a vibration speaker to create the elevated noise profile. Ant movement speed increased under elevated noise conditions when travelling to collect forage material and when returning to the colony nest. The size of individually measured foraged material was significantly reduced under elevated noise conditions. Colony activity, the number of ants moving along the forage route, was not affected by elevated noise and was consistent throughout the foraging events. Increased foraging speed and smaller forage fragments suggests that the ants had to make more foraging trips over an extended period, which is likely to affect energy expenditure and increases exposure to predators. This is likely to have significant fitness impacts for the colony over time. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-10T10:07:50Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-259592cf2bc84bbb8a23089fc026c57a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1932-6203 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-10T10:07:50Z |
| publishDate | 2022-01-01 |
| publisher | Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | PLoS ONE |
| spelling | doaj.art-259592cf2bc84bbb8a23089fc026c57a2022-12-22T01:53:12ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032022-01-01176e026951710.1371/journal.pone.0269517Leafcutter ants adjust foraging behaviours when exposed to noise disturbance.Briony ByrneSelvino R de KortScott M PedleyWe investigate the impact of anthropogenic noise on the foraging efficiency of leafcutter ants (Acromyrmex octospinosus) in a controlled laboratory experiment. Anthropogenic noise is a widespread, pervasive and increasing environmental pollutant and its negative impacts on animal fitness and behaviour have been well documented. Much of this evidence has come from studies concerning vertebrate species with very little evidence for terrestrial invertebrates, especially social living invertebrates. We compare movement speed, forage fragment size, and colony activity levels of ants exposed to intermittent elevated noise and in ambient noise conditions. We use intermittent and temporally unpredictable bursts of white noise produced from a vibration speaker to create the elevated noise profile. Ant movement speed increased under elevated noise conditions when travelling to collect forage material and when returning to the colony nest. The size of individually measured foraged material was significantly reduced under elevated noise conditions. Colony activity, the number of ants moving along the forage route, was not affected by elevated noise and was consistent throughout the foraging events. Increased foraging speed and smaller forage fragments suggests that the ants had to make more foraging trips over an extended period, which is likely to affect energy expenditure and increases exposure to predators. This is likely to have significant fitness impacts for the colony over time.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0269517 |
| spellingShingle | Briony Byrne Selvino R de Kort Scott M Pedley Leafcutter ants adjust foraging behaviours when exposed to noise disturbance. PLoS ONE |
| title | Leafcutter ants adjust foraging behaviours when exposed to noise disturbance. |
| title_full | Leafcutter ants adjust foraging behaviours when exposed to noise disturbance. |
| title_fullStr | Leafcutter ants adjust foraging behaviours when exposed to noise disturbance. |
| title_full_unstemmed | Leafcutter ants adjust foraging behaviours when exposed to noise disturbance. |
| title_short | Leafcutter ants adjust foraging behaviours when exposed to noise disturbance. |
| title_sort | leafcutter ants adjust foraging behaviours when exposed to noise disturbance |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0269517 |
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