ISSN:
1432-1416
Keywords:
Recruitment
;
mass recruitment
;
ants
;
differential equation
;
delay
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Biology
,
Mathematics
Notes:
Abstract The chemical mass recruitment of ants with a fixed rate of workers and scouts is described by a set of differential equations which can be reduced to one delayed first order equation. The model allows the description of the time-development of the quality of a food source. It depends on the proportion of workers and scouts in the population whether there remains a threshold quantity which is not worth exploiting. The more intensive the trail-laying efforts the more rapid and exhaustive the exploitation. The number of ants on the trail from the nest to the source will be maximal, if the trail-laying efforts are in equilibrium with the evaporating effects of the trail-pheromone.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF00276229
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