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One hypothesis for why insects are smaller than vertebrates is that the blind-ended tracheal respiratory system challenges oxygen delivery for larger insects. Supporting this hypothesis, several studies have documented that larger insect species have larger gas transport structures than expected by isometric scaling. To further test this hypothesis, we performed the first inter-specific study of the scaling of spiracle size, using ten scarab beetle species, including some of the most massive insects. Using micro-CT, we measured the cross sectional area and depth of all eight spiracles. Areas of large spiracles in the anterior portion of the animal showed hypermetric scaling, varying approximately with mass^0.8. However, because diffusive capacities scaled with lower slopes than metabolic rates, larger beetles had a 10-fold higher required PO2 gradient across the spiracles to sustain oxygen consumption by diffusion. Despite this trend, calculations suggest that large beetles can exchange oxygen by diffusion across the spiracles at rest, but likely no beetles can do so during flight. Advective capacities through the spiracles scale with mass^1.8, suggestive of a switch toward greater use of convection and/or reduced required pressures in larger beetles.
ContributorsWagner, Julian Morgan (Author) / Harrison, Jon F. (Thesis director) / VandenBrooks, John (Committee member) / Miller, Laura (Committee member) / School of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences (Contributor) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2017-05
Description
Many species follow networked roads. When roads are blocked, the obstruction must be circumnavigated, or traffic rerouted. We obstructed trails of the leaf-cutting ant Atta colombica and compared individual- and group-level circumnavigation as well as trail reuse following obstruction removal. Groups that circumnavigated the obstruction fastest were also the first to return to the original trail once the obstruction was removed. Also, nestward ants returned to using the original trail more quickly than outbound ants. Traffic rate was not related to speed of obstacle solving. The magnitude of reflective flow (reversing direction) explained much of the variation in obstacle-solving time, both comparing nestward versus outbound ants and variation across obstacles. Two other factors explaining variation in obstacle circumnavigation times were percentage of nestward ants carrying leaves and whether ants searched in the appropriate direction for the trail beyond the obstruction, possibly due to variation in the availability of navigation cues or motivation. Reflective flow allows highly-networked leafcutter trails to respond to blockages by using alternative cleared routes, with strength of navigation cues and motivation linked to foraging costs and benefits likely determining the effort expended to “solve” the obstacle versus give up.
ContributorsPrendergast, Catherine T (Author) / Harrison, Jon F. (Thesis director) / Baudier, Kaitlin M. (Committee member) / Economics Program in CLAS (Contributor) / Department of English (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2020-05