Control of the behaviour of leaf-cutting ants by their ‘symbiotic’ fungus

There is an obligatory relationship between leaf-cutting ants of the generaAtta andAcromyrmex (Hymenoptera; Attini) and the fungus,Attamyces bromatificus Kreisel, for which they provide a substrate of cut plant material. We show that the ants learn to reject plant material that contains chemicals injurious to the fungus. After an initial period of acceptance, ants from laboratory nests stopped harvesting granular bait containing a fungicidal agent (cycloheximide) and orange peel. This rejection was maintained for many weeks. These colonies also rejected control bait containing no cycloheximide. Some generalisation of the response was observed; colonies rejecting orange granules also rejected grapefruit granules, although they still accepted blackcurrant granules. Rejection of fungicidal bait by colonies in the field was restricted to ants on foraging trails exposed to experimental bait. We conclude that a semiochemical from the fungus, circulated by trophallaxis and grooming, regulates the selection of plant material by foragers. The fungus gains more advantages from the symbiotic relationship than is often realised. The ants provide the fungus with housing, sanitation, defence against disease and predators, pre-selected food, and a means of dissemination, at the cost to itself of providing food for the ant brood.     

社会生物学在中国

作为进化生物学的一个分支,社会生物学一问世就在西方学术界乃至社会引起激烈争论。而在我国,对它的反应则没有那么强烈。由于缺乏博物学传统,社会生物学遭遇了和它的先驱达尔文进化论类似的经历,其涉及的学术领域在我国的发展十分薄弱,因此对它关注较多的反而是哲学和社会科学界。社会生物学真正的学科意义被带有意识形态色彩的争论所掩盖,它进入中国并不是科学发展的自然结果,围绕它的争论更多的是当时社会历史背景在我国学术界和思想界的反映。     

高校学生党员后续教育探索——基于社会生物学理论视角

社会生物学是对一切动物的社会行为的生物学基础的系统研究。在高校学生党员后续教育研究中引入社会生物学理论,对高校学生党员后续教育管理和服务进行深入分析,摸索尝试如何在多层次、多角度的社会生物条件下将学生党员后续教育偏差转换成驱动力,以改进高校学生党员后续教育路径,具有一定的探索性及创新性。