The pollination efficiency of a pollinator depends on its foraging strategy, flowering phenology, and the flower characteristics of a plant species

Layek Ujjwal,Das Uday,Karmakar Prakash 한국응용곤충학회 2022 Journal of Asia-Pacific Entomology Vol.25 No.2

Honey bees and stingless bees are generalist visitors of several wild and cultivated plants. They forage with a high degree of floral fidelity and thereby help in the pollination services of those plants. We hypothesized that pollination efficiency might be influenced by flowering phenology, floral characteristics, and resource collection modes of the worker bees. In this paper, we surveyed the foraging strategies of honey bees (Apis cerana, Apis dorsata, and Apis florea) and stingless bees (Tetragonula iridipennis) concerning their pollination efficiencies. Bees showed different resource gathering strategies, including legitimate (helping in pollination as mixed foragers and specialized foragers) and illegitimate (serving as nectar robbers and pollen thieves) types of flower visitation patterns. Foraging strategies are influenced by the shape of flowers, the timing of the visitation, floral richness, and bee species. Honey bees and stingless bees mainly acted as legitimate visitors in most plants studied. Sometimes honey bees served as nectar robbers in tubular flowers and stingless bees as pollen thieves in largesized flowers. Among the legitimate categories, mixed foragers have a comparatively lower flower visitation rate than the specialized nectar and pollen foragers. However, mixed foragers have greater abundance and higher values of the single-visit pollination efficiency index (PEi) than nectar and pollen foragers. The value of the combined parameter ‘importance in pollination (PI)’ was thus higher in mixed foragers than in nectar and pollen foragers.

Autonomous Task Allocation in a Swarm of Foraging Robots: An Approach Based on Response Threshold Sigmoid Model

Bao Pang,Yong Song,Chengjin Zhang,Hongling Wang,Runtao Yang 제어·로봇·시스템학회 2019 International Journal of Control, Automation, and Vol.17 No.4

This paper proposes a task allocation model to adjust the number of working robots autonomously ina swarm of foraging robots. In swarm foraging, the traffic congestion in foraging area and the physical interferencebetween robots can decrease the swarm performance significantly. We introduce the concept of traffic flowdensity for the first time which can be used to reflect the traffic condition in the foraging area. The amount ofobstacle avoidance denotes the number of times physical interference generated in swarm foraging. The traffic flowdensity and the amount of obstacle avoidance together adjust the value of the threshold. In the proposed responsethreshold sigmoid model (RTSM), the individual robot can determine autonomously whether to forage or not onthe basis of the threshold and the external stimulus and the swarm system can complete the expected foraging task. Simulation experiments are carried out with the aim of evaluating the performance of the proposed method. Severalperformance measures are introduced to analyze the experimental results and compare to adaptive responsethreshold model (ARTM). Experimental results verify that the RTSM improves foraging efficiency and decreasesthe physical interference.

Study on Nesting and Foraging Behavior of Osmia cornifrons in the Apple Orchard

Kyeong Yong Lee,Hyung Joo Yoon,Mi Ae Kim,Yun Mi Kim,In Gyun Park 한국응용곤충학회 2010 한국응용곤충학회 학술대회논문집 Vol.2010 No.10

We investigated nesting and foraging behavior of Korean mason bees, Osmia cornifrons Radoszkowski, during apple orchard pollination. When O. cornifrons was nesting, the oviposit and store pollens were taken an average 118.54±15.88 second and constructing cell partition was an average 109.33±62.09 second. At foraging, collecting pollens was timed at an average 699.89±81.87 second, and carrying mud was measured an average 464.88±151.17 second. Nesting and foraging behavior of O. cornifrons were influenced by weather conditions, especially, temperature, luminance and wind. When the luminance was more than 20,000lux and temperature was more than 20℃, O. cornifrons was more actively nesting and foraging. But, nesting and foraging of O. cornifrons were rapidly dropped when the wind blew at the speed more than 5m/s. The correlation analysis showed that foraging behavior is weak positive correlation with luminance, temperature and nesting. On the other hand, there is negative correlation between wind and the behavior of O. cornifrons. The most effective factor was luminance among the factors affecting the weather condition by regression analysis. Therefore, if weather conditions is low luminance, low temperature and strong wind, it will be better not to use O. cornifrons during apple pollination.

Bacterial Foraging Algorithm과 FCM 기반 퍼지 시스템을 이용한 비선형 시스템 모델링

조재훈,전명근,김동화 한국지능시스템학회 2006 한국지능시스템학회 학술발표 논문집 Vol.16 No.1

본 논문에서는 Bacterial Foraging Algorithm과 FCM(fuzzy c-means)클러스터링을 이용하여 TSK(Takagi-Sugeno-Kang)형태의 퍼지 규칙 생성과 퍼지 시스템(FCM-ANFIS)을 효과적으로 구축하는 방법을 제안한다. 구조동정에서는 먼저 PCA(Principal Component Analysis)을 이용하여 입력 데이터 성분간의 상관관계를 제거한 후에 FCM을 이용하여 클러스터를 생성하고 성능지표에 근거해서 타당한 클러스터의 수, 즉 퍼지 규칙의 수를 얻는다. 파라미터 동정에서는 Bacterial Foraging Algorithm을 이용하여 전제부 파라미터를 최적화 시킨다. 결론부 파라미터는 RLSE(Recursive Least Square Estimate)에 의해 추정되어진다. PCA(Principal Component Analysis)와 FCM을 적용함으로써 타당한 규칙 수를 생성하였고 Bacterial Foraging Algorithm을 이용하여 최적의 전제부 파라미터를 구하였다. 제안된 방법의 성능을 평가하기 위하여 Box-Jenkins의 가스로 데이터와 Rice taste 데이터의 모델링에 적용하였고 우수한 성능을 보임을 알 수 있었다.

역할 모델의 적응적 전환을 통한 협업 채집 무리 로봇의 에너지 효율 향상

이종현(Jong-Hyun Lee),안진웅(Jinung An),안창욱(Chang Wook Ahn) 제어로봇시스템학회 2012 제어·로봇·시스템학회 논문지 Vol.18 No.1

We can efficiently collect crops or minerals by operating multi-robot foraging. As foraging spaces become wider, control algorithms demand scalability and reliability. Swarm robotics is a state-of-the-art algorithm on wide foraging spaces due to its advantages, such as self-organization, robustness, and flexibility. However, high initial and operating costs are main barriers in performing multi-robot foraging system. In this paper, we propose a novel method to improve the energy efficiency of the system to reduce operating costs. The idea is to employ a new behavior model regarding role division in concert with the search space division.

Why is the number of primary tunnels of the formosan subterranean termite, Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki (Isoptera: Rhinotermidae), restricted during foraging?

이상희,Malrey Lee,Nan-Yao Su 한국응용곤충학회 2009 Journal of Asia-Pacific Entomology Vol.12 No.3

Subterranean termites forage by digging a network of tunnels to come into contact with food sources. When 1000 termites (Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki) were placed in a laboratory arena, 6.7 primary tunnels were constructed. The aim of this study was to explain the empirical observation in which termites restrict the number of primary tunnels. To this end, we constructed a model to simulate termite tunnel patterns based on empirical data and to calculate food transportation efficiency, γ, for the tunnel patterns. The efficiency was defined as the ratio of the number of encountered food particles to the sum of the shortest length from the location of encountered food particles to the initial position of growth of the tunnel. The γ was maximized when the number of primary tunnels was 5 or 6, which was fairly consistent with the empirical number of primary tunnels. This result indicated that termites may restrict the number of their primary tunnels to improve the transportation efficiency, which is directly related to their survival.

Why is the number of primary tunnels of the formosan subterranean termite, Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki (Isoptera: Rhinotermidae), restricted during foraging?

Lee, Sang-Hee,Su, Nan-Yao,Lee, Malrey 한국응용곤충학회 2009 Journal of Asia-Pacific Entomology Vol. No.

Subterranean termites forage by digging a network of tunnels to come into contact with food sources. When 1000 termites (Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki) were placed in a laboratory arena, 6.7 primary tunnels were constructed. The aim of this study was to explain the empirical observation in which termites restrict the number of primary tunnels. To this end, we constructed a model to simulate termite tunnel patterns based on empirical data and to calculate food transportation efficiency, <TEX>${\gamma}$</TEX>, for the tunnel patterns. The efficiency was defined as the ratio of the number of encountered food particles to the sum of the shortest length from the location of encountered food particles to the initial position of growth of the tunnel. The <TEX>${\gamma}$</TEX> was maximized when the number of primary tunnels was 5 or 6, which was fairly consistent with the empirical number of primary tunnels. This result indicated that termites may restrict the number of their primary tunnels to improve the transportation efficiency, which is directly related to their survival.

연구본문 : 생태환경 ; 포식자-피식자 모델을 이용하여 기후변화가 논습지를 이용하는 조류 개체군 동태에 미치는 영향 예측

이후승 ( Who Seung Lee ) 한국환경농학회 2013 한국환경농학회지 Vol.32 No.4

본 연구는 수학적 모델(Lotka-Volterra 방정식)을 이용하여 기후변화가 논습지를 이용하는 조류 개체군의 크기와 구조에 미치는 영향에 대해 분석 및 예측하였다. 특히 논습지를 이용하는 조류 개체군 동태에 영향을 주는 기후변화에 대해, 1) 계절 내 최고 및 최저 기온의 변화와 2) 계절 길이의 변화를 조합하여 11가지 가능한 기후변화시나리오를 모델시뮬레 이션에 이용하였다. 본 연구의 수학모델은 기온 변화, 즉 계 절이 바뀜에 따라 월동, 이동, 그리고 번식조류가 일정한 시 기에 그리고 일정한 분포패턴으로 논습지를 취식 및 서식지로 이용하고 있음을 보였다. 기후변화 시나리오의 결과, 기온 변화의 폭이 커질 수록 조류 개체군 동태의 변이는 증가하였으며, 계절의 길이 변화, 특히 계절이 짧아진 경우에 논습지를 이용하는 기간도 크게 짧아져 전체적으로 개체군 동태를 감소시켰다. 전체적으로 한 계절 내의 기온변화가 발생하고, 다른 계절은 평년 기온을 유지할 경우에는, 해당 계절의 조류 개체군 동태만 기온변화에 영향을 받았다. 더욱이 계절의 길 이 변화는 계절 내 기온 변화보다 더 뚜렷한 개체군 동태의 변화를 유도하였다. BACKGROUND: It is well known that rice-fields can provide excellent foraging places for birds including seasonal migrants, wintering, and breeding and hence the high biodiversity of rice-fields may be expected. However, how environmental change including climate-changes on life-history and population dynamics in birds on rice-fields has not been fully understood. In order to investigate how climate-change affects population migratory patterns and migration timing, I modeled a population dynamics of birds in rice-fields over a whole year. METHODS AND RESULTS: I applied the Lotka-Volterra equation to model the population dynamics of birds that have been foraging/visiting rice-fields in Korea. The simple model involves the number of interspecific individuals and temperature, and the model parameters are periodic in time as the biological activities related to the migration, wintering and reproduction are seasonal. As results, firstly there was a positive relationship between the variation of seasonal population sizes and temperature change. Secondly, the reduced lengths of season were negatively related to the population size. Overall, the effects of the difference of lengths of season on seasonal population dynamics were higher than the effects of seasonal temperature change. CONCLUSION(S): Climate change can alter population dynamics of birds in rice-fields and hence the variation may affect the fitness, such as reproduction, survival and migration. The unstable balances of population dynamics in birds using paddy rice field as affected by climate change can reduce the population growth and species diversity in rice fields. The results suggest that the agricultural production is partly affected by the unstable balance of population in birds using rice-fields.

Directional selection by termites at a branching node created by a ballpoint pen

Seungwoo Sim,Sook Jung Ku,이상희 한국응용곤충학회 2012 Journal of Asia-Pacific Entomology Vol.15 No.3

Subterranean termites excavate complex underground tunnels for foraging. Most tunnels comprise primary and secondary tunnels. Tunnels originating from the nest are called primary and those branching from the primary tunnels are named secondary tunnels; tertiary and quaternary tunnels are rarely observed. During foraging, termites may thus encounter a considerable number of tunnel-branching nodes. Directional selection at such a node is likely correlated to tunnel-growth activity because tunnels containing more termites have a higher probability of growth. In this study, we investigated how termites select the direction of movement at an artificially-designed branching node, by making chemical trails on filter paper, drawing lines using a ballpoint pen which contained the chemical substance that induces the termite to follow trails. The trails consisted of two lines: straight and branching. The branching line was drawn from the center of the straight line at an angle θ (10°, 20°,…, 90°). We then calculated the ratio of the directional selection as r=Ns/Nb, where Ns and Nb represent the number of straight and branching tunnels selected, respectively. The values of r were statistically classified into three groups based on the angle of the branching trail, as follows:10°≤θ≤20°, 30°≤θ≤60°, and 70°≤θ≤90°. Our paper briefly discusses the underlying mechanisms of the experimental results.

Role of colour and volatile in foraging behaviour of honeybee Apis cerana on Jacquemontia pentanthos

Anitha Annamma Abraham,Abraham Verghese,Subramanyam Muthangi 한국응용곤충학회 2018 Journal of Asia-Pacific Entomology Vol.21 No.4

Floral visual and olfactory cues guide the insect visitors to the source of reward. This work addresses one such interaction between honeybee Apis cerana and a garden climber Jacquemontia pentanthos. Field studies have indicated that A. cerana showed preference to J. pentanthos over the other flowering plants during its visits for foraging. The objectives of the work is to understand the role of colour and scent in the attraction of Apis cerana to the host plant. Bioassays performed emphasized the involvement of colour and volatiles for the visits of A. cerana. Petals show high reflectance to ultraviolet light with ultraviolet absorbing regions in the centre which serve as a nectar guide. Gas chromatography linked electroanntenogram detector (GC-EAD) showed antennal response to the floral volatile of J. pentanthos identified as sesquiterpene β-caryophyllene. Behavioural studies have shown similar preference to β- caryophyllene as that of α-humulene. Our studies suggest an interplay of colour and volatiles cues for A. cerana visitation to Jacquemontia flowers and these findings are further supported by behavioural studies on.