Climate conundrum: Study finds ants aren’t altering behavior in rising temperatures
2 hours ago Charles Rotter 9 Comments
MAGE: RESEARCHERS AT NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY FOUND THAT ANTS DID NOT ADJUST THEIR BEHAVIOR IN RESPONSE TO WARMING TEMPERATURES AND PERSISTED IN SUB-OPTIMAL MICROHABITATS EVEN WHEN OPTIMAL ONES WERE PRESENT. THE FINDING SUGGESTS ANTS MAY NOT BE ABLE TO ADJUST THEIR BEHAVIOR IN RESPONSE TO WARMING ECOSYSTEMS. THIS PHOTO SHOWS BLACK FIELD ANTS (FORMICA SUBSERICEA) AT A BAIT STATION IN THE STUDY. ANTS WERE ONLY SLIGHTLY MORE LIKELY TO USE A BAIT STATION IF IT WAS PLACED IN A PREFERRED MICROCLIMATE THAN IF IT WAS PLACED IN AN UNCOMFORTABLE MICROCLIMATE THAT WAS TOO HOT OR TOO COLD. view more
CREDIT: SARA PRADO
Researchers at North Carolina State University found in a recent study that ants did not adjust their behavior in response to warming temperatures and persisted in sub-optimal microhabitats even when optimal ones were present. The finding suggests ants may not be able to adjust their behavior in response to warming ecosystems.
Ants are ectotherms – animals whose body temperature depends on the environment. While these animals experience a range of temperatures in daily life, most ectotherms prefer habitats that are slightly cooler than the so-called optimal functioning temperature in which an ectothermic animal is able to best perform all of life’s functions. If it encounters an environment warmer than the optimal point, an ectotherm risks approaching the lethal end of its physiology’s spectrum. In other words, if it gets too hot, ectotherms will die.
Little is known, however, about how – or if – insect ectotherms will adjust their behavior to avoid warmer but sublethal temperature ranges – where functioning is physiologically possible but not optimal – which are increasingly likely due to global climate change.
https://wattsupwiththat.com/2023/01/17/climate-conundrum-study-finds-ants-arent-altering-behavior-in-rising-temperatures/
