Behavioral response of termites to tunnel surface irregularity.
Behav Processes
; 78(3): 397-400, 2008 Jul.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-18359581
ABSTRACT
Subterranean termites construct underground tunnels, tens to hundreds of meters in length, in order to search for and transport resources. Diverse soil conditions surrounding the tunnels, such as soil pores and differing moisture concentrations, may cause different sized- and shaped-irregularities in the tunnels. To understand how individual termites respond to the irregularities, the present study monitored the movement of termites, Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki, in artificially excavated tunnels with rectangular irregularities of varying sizes in two-dimensional sand substrates. Termites tunneled at some of the irregularities and not at the others. The tunneling or non-tunneling behavior resulted from four different responses. The non-tunneling response may result from a behavioral adaptation that allows termites to avoid wasting energy that may be used in foraging.
Texto completo:
1
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Comportamento Animal
/
Dióxido de Silício
/
Isópteros
Limite:
Animals
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Behav Processes
Ano de publicação:
2008
Tipo de documento:
Article
País de afiliação:
Estados Unidos