C1139Social Insects. Course Information

Social Insects: C1139

Year 3. Department of Biological & Environmental Science

Teaching staff

Coordinator: Professor Francis L. W. Ratnieks

Other Sussex lecturer: Professor Jeremy P. Field

Guest lecturer: Professor J. J. “Koos” Boomsma (University of Copenhagen)

Course Outline

The eusocial insects comprise approximately 20,000 species of ants, termites, bees and wasps. Eusociality in these groups has evolved 20-100MYA on approximately 10 occasions and has given rise to highly-organized societies with up to 20 million individuals. Eusocial insects are of great economic and ecological importance. They are also key model systems in many important areas of biology. Part 1 of the course will provide general background material on social insects, before focusing in greater detail on three contrasting areas in which research on social insects is particularly active: Part 2) Inclusive fitness theory and relatedness; Part 3) How insect societies are organized; Part 4) This will address another active research area in social insect biology such as “Mutualisms and symbioses involving social insects”, “Ecological importance of social insects”, “The evolution of eusociality in insects”, “Using social insects to investigate sensory physiology”. There will also be 4 laboratory sessions on Getting to know the social insects,

The honey bee waggle dance, Determining kinship and using inclusive fitness theory, Organization of ant trail systems.

Learning Outcomes

A. General objectives (Part 1 of course)

1. Develop an understanding of the unique status of insect societies in biological evolution, and the value of social insects as model organisms in behavioural ecology and evolutionary biology.

2. Have a basic knowledge of social insect biology in areas of: systematics and diversity, modifications of individuals to eusocial life, colony and individual life cycles, reproductive division of labour, division of labour among workers.

Specific objectives (Parts 2-4 of course)

  1. To understand the component underpinnings of inclusive fitness theory (relatedness, reproductive value, mating success) and how they fit together in the theory; to understand the application of the theory in the study of reproductive manipulation and conflict, and the evolution of altruism. Students who can do this will be able to apply inclusive fitness theory to other situations.
  2. To have knowledge of the predictions and tests of inclusive fitness theory. Students should be able to explain these using either verbal arguments, or by the use of equations, or both.
  3. To understand how insect societies work as a unified whole through self-organization, and the types of information and communication used to do this.
  4. To understand two important principles in work organisation: division of labour and task partitioning.
  5. To have a good understanding of how honey bees and Pharaoh’s ants use their communication systems to cause the colony to forage more efficiently by sending foragers to where the food is.
  6. To have a broad knowledge of some of the mutualisms and symbioses that involve social insects (pollination, farming, etc.)
  7. To acquire some practical skills by doing simple research on social insects in the lab sessions.
  8. To obtain some training in communicating social insect biology to the public.

List of lectures, labs, and assessments

Autumn term Monday 5 October to Friday 11 December 2009

Lectures are in BSMS Teaching Room 2.10: Monday 1300-1400 & Wednesday 1000-1100.

Lectures 18-20 will be in the Freeman Centre

Part 1. Introduction and background to social insects

1Mon 05 OctWhy study social insects? (FR)

2Wed 07 OctWhy study social insects? (continued) (FR)

3Mon 12 OctThe individual (FR)

4Wed 14 OctThe society (FR)

VideoMon 19 OctFor queen and colony

5Wed 21 OctBiodiversity & systematics (FR)

6Mon 26 OctDivision of labour among workers (FR)

Part 2. Inclusive fitness theory and application to conflict and conflict resolution within insect societies

7Wed 28 OctKin value (FR)

8Mon 02 NovKin structure & relatedness (FR)

9Wed 04 NovSex allocation: predictions & tests (FR)

10Mon 09 NovReproductive queueing in primitively eusocial species: predictions and tests (JF)

11Wed 11 NovMale production: predictions & tests (FR)

12Mon 16 NovFemale rearing conflict, synthesis & evolution of extreme altruism (FR)

Part 3. Organization of insect societies: coordinating many individuals to function effectively to a common goal

13Wed 18 NovPrinciples of self organization (FR)

14Mon 23 NovHow honey bee colonies track rewarding food patches in their environment (FR)

15Mon 30 NovSophistication in the foraging trail networks of Pharaoh’s ants, Monomorium pharaonis(FR)

[QuizWed 02 DecKinship and inclusive fitness theory (10% of course marks)—Part 2 of course]

16Mon 07 DecTask partitioning in insect societies (FR)

17Wed 09 DecOrganization in small-colony species involving central control (JF)

Part 4. Additional topic: Fungus farming in social insects

Lectures 18-20 to take place c. 1400-1700/1730 in a mini-symposium in Room G24 of the Freeman Centre on campus

18Wed 25 NovSymbioses and mutualisms involving social insects (JF/FR) (1400-1445, break 1445-1500)

19Wed 25 NovFungus farming in social insects (JB) (1500-1545, break 1545-1600)

20Wed 25 NovFungus farming in social insects (continued) (JB) (1600-1645)

Break followed by Final Discussion 1645-c. 1715; possible drink in The Swan, Falmer

FRProfessor Francis Ratnieks

JFProfessor Jeremy Field

JBProfessor J. J. “Koos” Boomsma

Laboratories

Venues:LASI (Laboratory of Apiculture & Social Insects) or seminar room (location to be confirmed).

Attendance is compulsory. Labs will not be graded and there will be no lab reports to hand in. However, the material will be examined so students should attend and take notes.Lab 1 is relevant to Part 1 and will have at least one short question in the final exam. Labs 2 and 4 are relevant to Part 3 and will each have at least one short question in the final exam. Lab 2 is relevant to Part 2 and to the 10% quiz and will also have at least one short question in the final exam.

Lab. 1Wed 7 Oct 1400-1700 (rain date Wed 14 Oct 1300-1600). Getting to know the social insects (LASI)

Lab. 2*Wed 21 Oct 1300-1600 & Thus 22 Oct 1300-1600. The honey bee waggle dance (LASI)

Lab. 3Wed 11 Nov 1400-1700. Determining kinship and using inclusive fitness theory (Russell Building RB-32)

Lab. 4* Tues 1 Dec 1400-1700 & Wed 2 Dec 1400-1700. Organization of ant trail systems (LASI)

* note: surnames A-L will do the Wednesday lab, M-Z Thursday. If you have a clash, please swap with someone.

Assessment

10% written work: summary of a paper on symbioses/mutualisms/fungus farming; students will be give a choice of 3-5 papers and will chose one; the summary will follow a format that you will be given; to be handed in by 1600 Tuesday 24 November,

10%quiz: on kinship and inclusive fitness theory; 50 minutes, in lecture theatre, 1000 Wednesday 2 December.

10%written work: 1-page educational pamphlet on an interesting and focused topic within social insects chosen by the student; the pamphlet will follow a format that you will be given; to be handed in by 1600 Thursday 14 January 2010.

70%final exam: 2 essays from choice of c. 4; c. 10 compulsory short questions; exam duration c. 2.5 hours.

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