ABS 2023
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The structure and formation of arboreal ant transportation networks
Matina C Donaldson-Matasci1, Benjamin J Adams2, Elva JH Robinson3, Scott Powell4. 1Harvey Mudd College, Claremont, CA, United States; 2Vanier College, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; 3University of York, York, , United Kingdom; 4George Washington University, Washington, DC, United States

Arboreal ant colonies often grow by expansion into multiple pre-existing nesting cavities, connected by persistent trails. The location of nests within a tree and the paths between them determine the structure and efficiency of these ant transportation networks. We set out to discover the individual and colony-level mechanisms leading to arboreal ant nest choice, and how these mechanisms interact with ecological constraints to shape transportation networks. To do this, we characterized the structure of naturally occurring networks in four co-occurring ant species including Cephalotes varians, and documented the formation of C. varians transportation networks on artificial tree branches in the laboratory. We found that C. varians tended to form the most efficient natural networks and that their higher efficiency might be due to differences in nest location. In laboratory experiments, C. varians colonies chose nests in a consistent location, which was partially explained by turning choices of individual ants. Together, these results show how efficient group-level structures may emerge from the biased exploration process of individuals interacting with their ecological context.