They tested around 3,800 ants of the species Temnothorax longispinosus and, based on their behavior, formed separate ant colonies consisting of either all-rounders or specialists. Foitzik and Evelien Jongepier investigated what happens when ant colonies with different degrees of specialization are exposed to an external threat. "Our findings provide an explanation of why all-rounders tend to be ubiquitous and show how important they are for the flexibility and robustness of entire societies," said evolutionary biologist Professor Susanne Foitzik, commenting on the latest findings of her research group at Mainz University. As researchers have discovered, highly specialized ants lack the flexibility to adapt to new situations - with serious consequences for the entire colony. It seems, however, that this advantage may actually be a great disadvantage in special circumstances.
According to this view, a high degree of specialization provides advantages because the individual tasks are performed better and more effectively. It is widely assumed that this division of labor is an essential factor that determines the success of such social groups. Not only queens and worker ants have clearly defined responsibilities but the workers themselves also have particular jobs to do when, for example, it comes to the care of the young, defense, and nest building activities. 1 2 Ant colonies that are highly specialized have lower chances of survival when sudden changes occur Date: MaSource: Universität Mainz Summary: A characteristic of insect societies such as ants is the way tasks are distributed among group members.
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