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Fixed response thresholds and the regulation of division of labor in insect societies

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Abstract

We introduce a simple mathematical model of regulation of division of labor in insect societies based on fixed-response thresholds. Individuals with different thresholds respond differently to task-associated stimuli. Low-threshold individuals become involved at a lower level of stimulus than high-threshold individuals. We show that this simple model can account for experimental observations of Wilson (1984), extend the model to more complicated situations, explore its properties, and study under what conditions it can account for temporal polyethism.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Santa Fe Institute, 1399 Hyde Park Road, Santa Fe, NM, 87501, USA

    Eric Bonabeau

  2. Laboratoire d’Ethologie et de Psychologie Animale, CNRS-UMR 5550, Université Paul Sabatier, 118 route de Narbonne, 31062, Toulouse Cedex, France

    Guy Theraulaz

  3. Unit of Theoretical Behavioural Ecology, Service de Chimie-Physique, CP 231, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Boulevard du triomphe, 1050, Brussels, Belgium

    Jean-Louis Deneubourg

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  1. Eric Bonabeau
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Bonabeau, E., Theraulaz, G. & Deneubourg, JL. Fixed response thresholds and the regulation of division of labor in insect societies. Bull. Math. Biol. 60, 753–807 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1006/bulm.1998.0041

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