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Naturwissenschaften

Title:		Temperature limits trail following behaviour through pheromone decay in ants
Author(s):		van Oudenhove L; Billoir E; Boulay R; Bernstein C; Cerda X;
Address:		"Universite de Lyon, F-69000, Lyon; Universite Lyon 1, CNRS, UMR5558, Laboratoire de Biometrie et Biologie Evolutive, F-69622, Villeurbanne, France, louise@thomasvo.net"
Journal Title:		Naturwissenschaften
Year:		2011
Volume:		20111027
Issue:		12
Page Number:		1009 - 1017
DOI:		10.1007/s00114-011-0852-6
ISSN/ISBN:		1432-1904 (Electronic) 0028-1042 (Linking)
Abstract:		"In Mediterranean habitats, temperature affects both ant foraging behaviour and community structure. Many studies have shown that dominant species often forage at lower temperature than subordinates. Yet, the factors that constrain dominant species foraging activity in hot environments are still elusive. We used the dominant ant Tapinoma nigerrimum as a model species to test the hypothesis that high temperatures hinder trail following behaviour by accelerating pheromone degradation. First, field observations showed that high temperatures (> 30 degrees C) reduce the foraging activity of T. nigerrimum independently of the daily and seasonal rhythms of this species. Second, we isolated the effect of high temperatures on pheromone trail efficacy from its effect on worker physiology. A marked substrate was heated during 10 min (five temperature treatments from 25 degrees C to 60 degrees C), cooled down to 25 degrees C, and offered in a test choice to workers. At hot temperature treatments (>40 degrees C), workers did not discriminate the previously marked substrate. High temperatures appeared therefore to accelerate pheromone degradation. Third, we assessed the pheromone decay dynamics by a mechanistic model fitted with Bayesian inference. The model predicted ant choice through the evolution of pheromone concentration on trails as a function of both temperature and time since pheromone deposition. Overall, our results highlighted that the effect of high temperatures on recruitment intensity was partly due to pheromone evaporation. In the Mediterranean ant communities, this might affect dominant species relying on chemical recruitment, more than subordinate ant species, less dependent on chemical communication and less sensitive to high temperatures"
Keywords:		"Animals Ants/*physiology Behavior, Animal/*physiology Models, Biological Pheromones/*physiology Soil/chemistry *Temperature;"
Notes:		"Medlinevan Oudenhove, Louise Billoir, Elise Boulay, Raphael Bernstein, Carlos Cerda, Xim eng Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't Germany 2011/11/01 Naturwissenschaften. 2011 Dec; 98(12):1009-17. doi: 10.1007/s00114-011-0852-6. Epub 2011 Oct 27"