Garriga, J. | Search bioRxiv

bioRxiv2025

Foraging Ants as Liquid Brains: Movement Heterogeneity Shapes Collective Efficiency

Liquid brains conceptualize living systems operating without central control, where collective outcomes emerge from local but dynamic interactions. Therefore, movement is expected to shape the connectivity among individuals, allowing the system to optimize its efficiency. We empirically measured ant movement behavior across large spatiotemporal scales, closely reflecting the ecology of our model species, Aphaenogaster senilis. We then incorporated this into a liquid brain framework, enabling a quantitative replication of ant foraging efficiency and their spatiotemporal dynamics. Our results highlight that a simple feedback mechanism explains the foraging patterns of this species. Indeed, such feedback is modulated by adjusting the proportion of two coexisting movement behaviors: while the recruits facilitated information transfer and food exploitation by aggregating closely to the nest, the scouts mostly bypassed this feedback, enabling the discovery of alternative food sources. These findings underscore how complex systems frameworks can benefit from empirical insights, enhancing our understanding of the mechanisms underlying collective intelligence in biological systems.

ecology↗

bioRxiv2019

Seascape genetics at its finest: dispersal patchiness within a well-connected population

Dispersal is a main determining factor of population structure and variation. In the marine habitat, well-connected populations with large numbers of reproducing individuals are common but even so population structure can exist on a small-scale. Variation in dispersal between populations or over time is often associated to both environmental and genetic variation. Nonetheless, detecting structure and dispersal variation on a fine-scale within marine populations still remains a challenge. Here we propose and use a novel approach of combining a clustering model, early-life history trait information from fish otoliths, spatial coordinates and genetic markers to detect very fine-scale dispersal patterns. We collected 1573 individuals (946 adults and 627 juveniles) of the black-faced blenny across a small-scale (2km) coastline as well as at a larger-scale area (<50kms). A total of 178 single nucleotide polymorphism markers were used to evaluate relatedness patterns within this well-connected population. Local retention and/or dispersal varied across the 2km coastline with higher frequency of SHORT-range disperser adults; representing local recruitment; towards the southwest of the area. An inverse pattern was found for juveniles, showing an increase of SHORT-range dispersers towards the northeast. This reveals a complex but not full genetic mixing and suggests oceanic/coastal circulation as the main driver of this fine-scale chaotic genetic patchiness within this otherwise homogeneous population. When focusing on the patterns within one recruitment season, we found large differences in temperatures (from approx. 17oC to 25oC) as well as pelagic larval duration (PLD) for juveniles from the beginning of the season and the end of the season. We were able to detect fine-scale differences in HIGH-range juvenile dispersers, representing distant migrants, depending on whether they were born at the beginning of the season, hence, with a longer PLD, or at the end of the reproductive season. The ability to detect such fine-scale dispersal patchiness will aid in our understanding of the underlying mechanisms of population structuring and chaotic patchiness in a wide range of species even with high potential dispersal abilities.

ecology↗