Presentation Details
Hidden Variation: Characterizing Social Responsiveness from Individual Development to Collective Outcomes

Aurelia T.Valente1, Kelly B.Miller2.

1University of New Mexico, Biology Department, Albuquerque, NM, USA.2University of New Mexico, Biology Department, Albuquerque, NM, USA

Abstract


Current understanding of the ecological and evolutionary significance of individual behavioral variation remains limited. Recent studies have identified genetic mechanisms associated with reduced social responsiveness in honey bees (Apis mellifera). Studies suggest these pathways may be conserved across diverse animal taxa. In eusocial insects, colony organization emphasizes social cohesion; however, socially sub-responsive individuals, healthy individuals exhibiting reduced response to social cues, remain active in hive function. Genetic mechanisms underlying reduced social responsiveness may also influence neural circuits involved in sensory and cognitive processing, affecting task performance. This may extend to influence foraging behavior and pollination, though this has been largely unexplored. We present a framework for exploring individual social behaviors and preliminary results from a modular observation hive system designed for longitudinal monitoring  and genetic analysis. This work lays the foundation for future studies evaluating the ecological and evolutionary implications of individual variation in social responsiveness across diverse taxa, including humans.

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