Spatial organization
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Spatial organization can be observed when components of an
Spatial organization can be defined as how something is organized internally as well as externally concerning its surroundings. It can be viewed both on a large or small scale and may also include in its discussion, the factors and conditions that lead to a specific organization pattern.[4] In the frame of biology this may include the abiotic and biotic factors that a population is immersed in. In the frame of civilization, spatial organization may include if an area is rural, suburban, or urban. Spatial organization can even include how one manages and organizes their lawn to meet social norms. [5]
In eusocial insects
Individuals in a
In the nest
Foraging-for-work
There are a variety of ways in which individuals can divide space inside a nest. According to the "foraging-for-work" hypothesis, adult workers begin performing
Dominance hierarchy
Space inside the nest may also be divided as a result of
Outside the nest
There is also evidence that foragers, which are the insects that leave the nest to collect the valuable resources for the developing colony, can divide space outside the nest. Makino & Sakai showed that bumble bee foragers maintain foraging zones in flower patches, which means that bees consistently return to the same areas within a patch and there is little overlap between individuals.[14] These zones can expand and contract when neighboring foragers are removed or introduced, respectively.[15] By dividing foraging patches into miniature ‘foraging territories’, individuals can maximize the number of flowers visited with minimal interruptions or competition between foragers. These ‘foraging territories’ divided among individuals from the same colony are the result of self-organization among the foragers; that is, no lead forager is dictating where the bees will forage. Instead, the maintenance of these foraging zones is due to simple rules followed by each individual forager. Studies to determine these “rules” are an important area of research in computer science, basic biology, behavioral ecology, and mathematic modeling.
As an emergent property of a self-organized system
The self-organization observed in foraging territories is a microcosm for the self-organization seen in the entire colony. Spatial organization observed across social insect colonies can be considered an emergent property of a self-organized complex system. It is self-organized because no leader is dictating where each individual will reside, nor which task an individual will perform once they get there.[16] Instead, zones may be a by-product of division of labor, whereby individuals end up in a particular location for a period based on the task they perform,[11] or dominance interactions, whereby dominant individuals are granted access to the most desirable places inside the nest.[7][10] Spatial patterns exhibited by individuals of social insect colonies are not obvious, because it is difficult to observe and differentiate among individuals inside a nest cavity or flying across a foraging patch. However, when careful attention is given to the individual worker, the spatial organization of workers in the nest becomes apparent.
See also
References
- ISBN 0-19-850244-3.
- PMID 5104951.
- ^ .
- ^ Robbins, P. and J. Sharp. 2003. The Lawn-Chemical Economy and Its Discontents. Antipode, 35(5): 955-979.
- ^ "Lawn Order". 99 Percent Invisible. August 18, 2015.
- ^ .
- ^ PMID 10564598.
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- ^ Wilson, E. O. (1971). The Insect Societies. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press.
- ^ West-Eberhard, M. J. (1969). "The social biology of Polistine wasps". Miscellaneous Publications Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan. 140: 1–101.
- .
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- ^ Camazine, S.; Deneubourg, J.-L.; Franks, N. R.; Sneyd, J.; Theraulaz, G.; Bonabeau, E. (2001). Self-Organization in Biological Systems. Princeton: Princeton University Press.