A colony-level optimization model provides a potential mechanism for the evolution of novel castes in eusocial ant colonies
Ant species often have multiple morphologically distinct ‘castes’ within a single colony. Given that most of these castes are involved in non-reproductive tasks, and since such individuals thus never reproduce, the question of how ant castes can evolve is a non-trivial one. Over the years, several m...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Elsevier
2022-07-01
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| Series: | Heliyon |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844022011707 |
| _version_ | 1828374161712480256 |
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| author | Suryadeepto Nag Ananda Shikhara Bhat |
| author_facet | Suryadeepto Nag Ananda Shikhara Bhat |
| author_sort | Suryadeepto Nag |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Ant species often have multiple morphologically distinct ‘castes’ within a single colony. Given that most of these castes are involved in non-reproductive tasks, and since such individuals thus never reproduce, the question of how ant castes can evolve is a non-trivial one. Over the years, several models have been proposed in order to explain the evolution of castes in ant colonies. Here, we attempt to answer this question using an economics-based approach, developing an optimization model that implements adaptation and selection at the colony level. We argue that due to the nature of ant colonies, selection is shifted to the group level, and, due to this, individual ants are sheltered from negative selection. We show that our framework can explain the evolution of novel castes in ant colonies, and discuss the novelty of our model with regard to previous models that have been proposed. We also show that our model is consistent with several empirical observations of ant colonies. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-14T07:29:56Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-3be0f0ada3884fe5a090064486c8aa4e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2405-8440 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-14T07:29:56Z |
| publishDate | 2022-07-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Heliyon |
| spelling | doaj.art-3be0f0ada3884fe5a090064486c8aa4e2022-12-22T02:05:54ZengElsevierHeliyon2405-84402022-07-0187e09882A colony-level optimization model provides a potential mechanism for the evolution of novel castes in eusocial ant coloniesSuryadeepto Nag0Ananda Shikhara Bhat1Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Pune, Pune, 411008, Maharashtra, IndiaDepartment of Biology, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Pune, Pune, 411008, Maharashtra, India; Corresponding author.Ant species often have multiple morphologically distinct ‘castes’ within a single colony. Given that most of these castes are involved in non-reproductive tasks, and since such individuals thus never reproduce, the question of how ant castes can evolve is a non-trivial one. Over the years, several models have been proposed in order to explain the evolution of castes in ant colonies. Here, we attempt to answer this question using an economics-based approach, developing an optimization model that implements adaptation and selection at the colony level. We argue that due to the nature of ant colonies, selection is shifted to the group level, and, due to this, individual ants are sheltered from negative selection. We show that our framework can explain the evolution of novel castes in ant colonies, and discuss the novelty of our model with regard to previous models that have been proposed. We also show that our model is consistent with several empirical observations of ant colonies.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844022011707Ant coloniesCaste ratioEusocialityEvolutionGroup selectionOptimization |
| spellingShingle | Suryadeepto Nag Ananda Shikhara Bhat A colony-level optimization model provides a potential mechanism for the evolution of novel castes in eusocial ant colonies Heliyon Ant colonies Caste ratio Eusociality Evolution Group selection Optimization |
| title | A colony-level optimization model provides a potential mechanism for the evolution of novel castes in eusocial ant colonies |
| title_full | A colony-level optimization model provides a potential mechanism for the evolution of novel castes in eusocial ant colonies |
| title_fullStr | A colony-level optimization model provides a potential mechanism for the evolution of novel castes in eusocial ant colonies |
| title_full_unstemmed | A colony-level optimization model provides a potential mechanism for the evolution of novel castes in eusocial ant colonies |
| title_short | A colony-level optimization model provides a potential mechanism for the evolution of novel castes in eusocial ant colonies |
| title_sort | colony level optimization model provides a potential mechanism for the evolution of novel castes in eusocial ant colonies |
| topic | Ant colonies Caste ratio Eusociality Evolution Group selection Optimization |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844022011707 |
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