scholarly journals Modularity and connectivity of nest structure scale with colony size

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julie Serena Miller ◽  
Emma Wan ◽  
Noa Pinter-Wollman
Keyword(s):  
Colony Size ◽  
Large Body ◽  
Nest Structure ◽  
Biological Organization ◽  
Ant Colonies ◽  
Body Sizes ◽  
Meta Analyses ◽  
Alternative Routes ◽  
Structural Solutions ◽  
Travel Distances

Large body sizes have evolved structures to facilitate resource transport. Like unitary organisms, social insect colonies must transport information and resources, and colonies with more individuals may experience transport challenges similar to large-bodied organisms. In ant colonies, transport occurs in the nest, which may consist of structures that facilitate movement. We examine three attributes of nest structures that could mitigate transport challenges related to colony size: (1) subdivision: nests of species with large colonies are more subdivided to reduce viscosity of large crowds; (2) branching: nest tunnels increase branching in species with large colonies to reduce travel distances; and (3) short-cuts: nests of species with large colonies have cross-linking tunnels to connect distant parts of the nest and create alternative routes. We test these hypotheses by comparing nest structures of species with different colony sizes in phylogenetically controlled meta-analyses. Our findings support the subdivision and branching hypotheses. The nests of species with large colonies contain more, but not larger, chambers and reduce travel distances by increasing branching frequency. The similarity in how ant nests and the bodies of unitary organisms respond to increasing size suggests structural solutions that are common across levels of biological organization.

scholarly journals Within-host competition drives energy allocation trade-offs in an insect parasitoid

PeerJ ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
pp. e8810
Author(s):  
J. Keaton Wilson ◽  
Laura Ruiz ◽  
Goggy Davidowitz
Keyword(s):  
Life History ◽  
Body Size ◽  
Life History Theory ◽  
Large Body ◽  
Ecological Impacts ◽  
Life History Strategies ◽  
Biological Organization ◽  
Trade Offs ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Body Sizes

Organismal body size is an important biological trait that has broad impacts across scales of biological organization, from cells to ecosystems. Size is also deeply embedded in life history theory, as the size of an individual is one factor that governs the amount of available resources an individual is able to allocate to different structures and systems. A large body of work examining resource allocation across body sizes (allometry) has demonstrated patterns of allocation to different organismal systems and morphologies, and extrapolated rules governing biological structure and organization. However, the full scope of evolutionary and ecological ramifications of these patterns have yet to be realized. Here, we show that density-dependent larval competition in a natural population of insect parasitoids (Drino rhoeo: Tachinidae) results in a wide range of body sizes (largest flies are more than six times larger (by mass) than the smallest flies). We describe strong patterns of trade-offs between different body structures linked to dispersal and reproduction that point to life history strategies that differ between both males and females and individuals of different sizes. By better understanding the mechanisms that generate natural variation in body size and subsequent effects on the evolution of life history strategies, we gain better insight into the evolutionary and ecological impacts of insect parasitoids in tri-trophic systems.

scholarly journals Scarcity of scale-free topology is universal across biochemical networks

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Harrison B. Smith ◽  
Hyunju Kim ◽  
Sara I. Walker
Keyword(s):  
Large Body ◽  
Biochemical Networks ◽  
Biological Organization ◽  
Scale Free ◽  
Levels Of Organization ◽  
Common Structure ◽  
Domains Of Life ◽  
Ecosystem Level ◽  
Different Levels ◽  
Organizing Principles

AbstractBiochemical reactions underlie the functioning of all life. Like many examples of biology or technology, the complex set of interactions among molecules within cells and ecosystems poses a challenge for quantification within simple mathematical objects. A large body of research has indicated many real-world biological and technological systems, including biochemistry, can be described by power-law relationships between the numbers of nodes and edges, often described as “scale-free”. Recently, new statistical analyses have revealed true scale-free networks are rare. We provide a first application of these methods to data sampled from across two distinct levels of biological organization: individuals and ecosystems. We analyze a large ensemble of biochemical networks including networks generated from data of 785 metagenomes and 1082 genomes (sampled from the three domains of life). The results confirm no more than a few biochemical networks are any more than super-weakly scale-free. Additionally, we test the distinguishability of individual and ecosystem-level biochemical networks and show there is no sharp transition in the structure of biochemical networks across these levels of organization moving from individuals to ecosystems. This result holds across different network projections. Our results indicate that while biochemical networks are not scale-free, they nonetheless exhibit common structure across different levels of organization, independent of the projection chosen, suggestive of shared organizing principles across all biochemical networks.

scholarly journals Vector Competence: What Has Zika Virus Taught Us?

Viruses ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (9) ◽  
pp. 867 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sasha R. Azar ◽  
Scott C. Weaver
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Design ◽  
Zika Virus ◽  
Vector Competence ◽  
Large Body ◽  
Large Data ◽  
Mosquito Vector ◽  
Zikv Infection ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Short Period ◽  
Meta Analyses

The unprecedented outbreak of Zika virus (ZIKV) infection in the Americas from 2015 to 2017 prompted the publication of a large body of vector competence data in a relatively short period of time. Although differences in vector competence as a result of disparities in mosquito populations and viral strains are to be expected, the limited competence of many populations of the urban mosquito vector, Aedes aegypti, from the Americas (when its susceptibility is viewed relative to other circulating/reemerging mosquito-borne viruses such as dengue (DENV), yellow fever (YFV), and chikungunya viruses (CHIKV)) has proven a paradox for the field. This has been further complicated by the lack of standardization in the methodologies utilized in laboratory vector competence experiments, precluding meta-analyses of this large data set. As the calls for the standardization of such studies continue to grow in number, it is critical to examine the elements of vector competence experimental design. Herein, we review the various techniques and considerations intrinsic to vector competence studies, with respect to contemporary findings for ZIKV, as well as historical findings for other arboviruses, and discuss potential avenues of standardization going forward.

Remarkable new species of epedanid from Vietnam (Arachnida: Opiliones: Laniatores: Epedanidae)

Zootaxa ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 4858 (3) ◽  
pp. 427-437
Author(s):  
ALEKSEY N. TCHEMERIS
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Large Body ◽  
Dorsal Surface ◽  
Distal Segment ◽  
Southern Vietnam ◽  
The Family ◽  
Body Sizes ◽  
Males And Females ◽  
First Time ◽  
Latin Letter

The genus Euepedanus of the family Epedanidae is recorded from Vietnam for the first time. Euepedanus vietnamicus sp. nov. (males and females) is diagnosed, figured and described. The main characteristics that distinguish this species from other species Euepedanus are quite large body sizes, structure of the distal segment of the chelicerae, armament of palps and on the dorsal surface of body with a pattern resembling the Latin letter X. The only known locality of the new E. vietnamicus sp. nov. in southern Vietnam, is mapped. 

scholarly journals Towards a general life-history model of the superorganism: predicting the survival, growth and reproduction of ant societies

2012 ◽  
Vol 8 (6) ◽  
pp. 1059-1062 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonathan Z. Shik ◽  
Chen Hou ◽  
Adam Kay ◽  
Michael Kaspari ◽  
James F. Gillooly
Keyword(s):  
Life History ◽  
Terrestrial Ecosystems ◽  
The Body ◽  
Ant Colonies ◽  
Insect Societies ◽  
Model Predictions ◽  
Body Sizes ◽  
Survival And Reproduction ◽  
Growth And Reproduction ◽  
Colony Level

Social insect societies dominate many terrestrial ecosystems across the planet. Colony members cooperate to capture and use resources to maximize survival and reproduction. Yet, when compared with solitary organisms, we understand relatively little about the factors responsible for differences in the rates of survival, growth and reproduction among colonies. To explain these differences, we present a mathematical model that predicts these three rates for ant colonies based on the body sizes and metabolic rates of colony members. Specifically, the model predicts that smaller colonies tend to use more energy per gram of biomass, live faster and die younger. Model predictions are supported with data from whole colonies for a diversity of species, with much of the variation in colony-level life history explained based on physiological traits of individual ants. The theory and data presented here provide a first step towards a more general theory of colony life history that applies across species and environments.

A spatially explicit optimal foraging model of Black-legged Kittiwake behavior based on prey density, travel distances, and colony size

2007 ◽  
Vol 204 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 335-348 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Glenn Ford ◽  
David G. Ainley ◽  
Evelyn D. Brown ◽  
Robert M. Suryan ◽  
David B. Irons
Keyword(s):  
Colony Size ◽  
Optimal Foraging ◽  
Prey Density ◽  
Spatially Explicit ◽  
Behavior Based ◽  
Travel Distances

Reproductive dynamics of a turtle (Pseudemys scripta) population in a reservoir receiving heated effluent from a nuclear reactor

1970 ◽  
Vol 48 (4) ◽  
pp. 881-885 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Whitfield Gibbons
Keyword(s):  
South Carolina ◽  
Growth Rates ◽  
Nuclear Reactor ◽  
Large Body ◽  
Reproductive Rate ◽  
Hot Water ◽  
Trophic Levels ◽  
Body Sizes ◽  
Pseudemys Scripta ◽  
Growth Differences

Individual yellow-bellied turtles (Pseudemys scripta) in Par Pond, a thermally polluted reservoir on the Savannah River Plant, Aiken, South Carolina, U.S.A., reach exceedingly large body sizes and maintain extraordinary juvenile growth rates when compared with turtles of this species from other populations in the vicinity. Increased water temperatures are not directly responsible for the observed size and growth differences. Diet differences resulting from increased productivity at lower trophic levels as a result of the hot-water effluent may be the cause of the observed growth and size phenomena. The increased growth rates and larger body sizes in the Par Pond turtles result in changes in reproductive rate which may have interesting consequences on the demography of the population.

scholarly journals Does a Simple Cope's Rule Mechanism Overlook Predators?

2007 ◽  
Vol 2007 ◽  
pp. 1-2
Author(s):  
Vincenzo Penteriani ◽  
Robert Kenward
Keyword(s):  
Large Body ◽  
General Increase ◽  
Predator Species ◽  
Animal Groups ◽  
Individual Fitness ◽  
Large Size ◽  
High Fitness ◽  
Body Sizes ◽  
Cope’S Rule

The Cope’s rule predicts a tendency for species to evolve towards an increase in size. Recently, it has been suggested that such a tendency is due to the fact that large body sizes provide a general increase in individual fitness. Here we highlight evidence that predator species do not always fit the large-size = high-fitness mechanism for Cope’s rule. Given the specific requirements of predators and the complexity of prey-predator relationships, any analysis that does not take into account all animal groups may overlook a significant portion of evolutive trends. Generalisations may not be possible regardless of taxa.

scholarly journals Size- and sex-specific predation on dung flies by amphibian and arthropod predators – size match matters

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wolf U. Blanckenhorn ◽  
Gabriele Cozzi ◽  
Gregory Jäggli ◽  
Juan Pablo Busso
Keyword(s):  
Body Size ◽  
Sexual Size Dimorphism ◽  
Rana Temporaria ◽  
Large Body ◽  
Mechanistic Study ◽  
Mating Activity ◽  
Size Dimorphism ◽  
Arthropod Predators ◽  
Body Sizes ◽  
Predation Rates

Because predator-prey interactions in nature are multifarious, linking phenomenological predation rates to the underlying behavioural or ecological mechanisms is challenging. Size- and sex-specific predation has been implicated as a major selective force keeping animals small, affecting the evolution of body size and sexual size dimorphism. We experimentally assessed predation by various amphibian (frogs and toads) and arthropod predators (bugs, flies, spiders) on three species of dung flies with similar ecology but contrasting body sizes, sexual size dimorphism and coloration. Predators were offered a size range of flies in single- or mixed-sex groups. As expected based on optimal foraging theory, some anurans (e.g. Bufo bufo) selected larger prey, thus selecting against large body size of the flies, while others (Bombina variagata and Rana esculenta) showed no such pattern. Small juvenile Rana temporaria metamorphs, in contrast, preferred small flies, as did all arthropod predators, a pattern that can be explained by larger prey being better at escaping. The more mobile males were not eaten more frequently or faster than the cryptic females, even when conspicuously colored. Predation rates on flies in mixed groups permitting mating activity were not higher, contrary to expectation, nor was predation generally sex-specific. We conclude that the size-selectivity of predators, and hence the viability selection pattern exerted on their prey, depends foremost on the relative body sizes of the two in a continuous fashion. Sex-specific predation by single predators appears to contribute little to sexual dimorphism. Therefore, the mechanistic study of predation requires integration of both the predator’s and the prey’s perspectives, and phenomenological field studies of predation remain indispensable.

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