Social Organization of Foraging by Honey Bees

本研究项目的目的是通过分析蜜蜂社会中劳动群体（种姓）协调的自然选择机制，更好地理解昆虫社会中协调良好的劳动分工是如何完成的。西利博士将研究蜂群中需要两个阶层共同行动的三种不同行动，并旨在确定每种行动的信息是如何在不同阶层之间流动的，从而使它们的行动率保持适当的平衡。三种操作是采集花蜜、通过蒸发冷却调节巢温和构建蜂巢。本研究解决了任何存在劳动分工的组织所面临的一个基本问题，即组织内相互依赖的劳动群体的协调。当一组必须适应另一组不可预测的活动水平变化时，这是一个严重的问题。以蜜蜂为例，每当天气变热，蜂房开始过热时，在蜂房内工作的蜜蜂就会传播更多的水来冷却，而在蜂房外工作的蜜蜂必须相应地增加水的收集。解决方案是在组之间创建各种通信线路。在动物社会中，即使是像蜜蜂社会这样的社会，人们也早就知道存在着一种复杂的劳动分工，但人们对这种交流联系的了解并不多。因此，这项研究将填补我们对复杂的动物社会如何运作的理解上的一个重要空白，并可能为如何更好地协调人类组织中的劳动提供思路。

The goal of this research project is to better understand how a well-coordinated division of labor is accomplished in insect societies, by analyzing the mechanisms devised by natural selection for the coordination of labor groups (castes) within the honey bee society. Dr. Seeley will examine three distinct operations in honey bee colonies that require the joint activity of two castes, and will aim to determine for each operation how information flows between the castes so that their rates of activity stay in proper balance. The three operations are nectar acquisition, nest thermoregulation by evaporative cooling, and comb construction. This research addresses a fundamental problem faced by any organization in which there is division of labor, namely the coordination of interdependent labor groups within the organization. This is a severe problem when one group must adjust to unpredictable changes in the activity level of a second group. For example, in the case of the bees, whenever the weather turns hot and the hive begins to overheat, bees working inside the hive spread more water for cooling and bees working outside the hive must accordingly increase their water collection. The solution is the creation of various lines of communication between the groups. These communication links are not well understood for animal societies, even those such as the honey bee society where it has long been known that there is an elaborate division of labor. Hence this research will address an important gap in our understanding of how intricate animal societies work, and it may well provide ideas on how to better coordinate labor in human organizations.