1ollective selection of food patches in Drosophila

dc.contributor.authorLihoreau, M.
dc.contributor.authorClarke, I.
dc.contributor.authorBuhl, J.
dc.contributor.authorSumpter, D.
dc.contributor.authorSimpson, S.
dc.date.issued2016
dc.description.abstractThe fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster has emerged as a model organism for research on social interactions. Although recent studies have described how individuals interact on foods for nutrition and reproduction, the complex dynamics by which groups initially develop and disperse have received little attention. Here we investigated the dynamics of collective foraging decisions by D. melanogaster and their variation with group size and composition. Groups of adults and larvae facing a choice between two identical, nutritionally balanced food patches distributed themselves asymmetrically, thereby exploiting one patch more than the other. The speed of the collective decisions increased with group size, as a result of flies joining foods faster. However, smaller groups exhibited more pronounced distribution asymmetries than larger ones. Using computer simulations, we show how these non-linear phenomena can emerge from social attraction towards occupied food patches, whose effects add up or compete depending on group size. Our results open new opportunities for exploring complex dynamics of nutrient selection in simple and genetically tractable groups.
dc.description.statementofresponsibilityMathieu Lihoreau, Ireni M. Clarke, Jerome Buhl, David J.T. Sumpter, and Stephen J. Simpson
dc.identifier.citationThe Journal of Experimental Biology, 2016; 219(5):668-675
dc.identifier.doi10.1242/jeb.127431
dc.identifier.issn0022-0949
dc.identifier.issn1477-9145
dc.identifier.orcidBuhl, J. [0000-0002-7506-6835]
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/2440/99858
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisherCompany of Biologists Ltd.
dc.relation.grantARC
dc.rights© 2016. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd
dc.source.urihttps://doi.org/10.1242/jeb.127431
dc.subjectAggregation; Drosophila melanogaster; collective behaviour; foraging; fruit flies; individual-based model; social attraction
dc.title1ollective selection of food patches in Drosophila
dc.typeJournal article
pubs.publication-statusPublished

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