by Wong Tai Choi Richard. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1998. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 159-175). / Abstract also in Chinese. / Acknowledgements --- p.i / Abstract --- p.ii / List of tables --- p.v / List of figures --- p.viii / Table of contents --- p.x / Chapter Chapter 1 --- General introduction --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1 --- Introduction for the whole thesis --- p.1 / Chapter 1.2 --- Termites --- p.2 / Chapter 1.2.1 --- Termites are eusocial insects --- p.2 / Chapter 1.2.2 --- Families of termites --- p.3 / Chapter 1.2.3 --- Classification of sample termites: Reticulitermes fukienensis --- p.4 / Chapter 1.2.4 --- Distribution of Reticulitermes --- p.4 / Chapter 1.2.5 --- Nest of Reticulitermes --- p.5 / Chapter 1.2.6 --- Economic importance of Reticulitermes --- p.5 / Chapter 1.3 --- Definition of temporal polyethism --- p.6 / Chapter 1.4 --- The general significance of poly ethism --- p.9 / Chapter 1.5 --- Developmental differences between isopteran and other social hymenopterans --- p.9 / Chapter 1.6 --- Polyethism of termites and social hymenopterans --- p.11 / Chapter 1.6.1 --- Caste-based polyethism --- p.11 / Chapter 1.6.2 --- Sex-based poly ethism --- p.17 / Chapter 1.6.3 --- Age-based or temporal polyethism --- p.19 / Chapter 1.6.4 --- Conclusion on the polyethism of termites and eusocial hymenopterans --- p.29 / Chapter 1.7 --- Purpose of study --- p.33 / Chapter 1.8 --- Reason for the choice of sample species --- p.35 / Chapter 1.9 --- General methodology --- p.36 / Chapter 1.9.1 --- Identification of Reticulitermes fukienensis --- p.36 / Chapter 1.9.2 --- Sample collection --- p.38 / Chapter 1.9.3 --- "Storage, preservation and farther confirmation of sample in laboratory" --- p.40 / Chapter 1.9.4 --- Methods for the removal of termites from nests --- p.42 / Chapter 1.9.5 --- Experimental conditions --- p.43 / Chapter Chapter 2 --- Separation of age classes and temporal polyethism in feeding behavior of age classes --- p.44 / Chapter 2.1 --- Introduction --- p.44 / Chapter 2.2 --- Separation of age classes --- p.45 / Chapter 2.2.1 --- Review of separation of age classes --- p.45 / Chapter 2.2.2 --- Materials and methods --- p.47 / Chapter 2.2.2.1 --- Head width measurements --- p.47 / Chapter 2.2.2.2 --- Morphological study --- p.48 / Chapter 2.2.3 --- Results --- p.48 / Chapter 2.2.3.1 --- Biometrics measurements --- p.48 / Chapter 2.2.3.2 --- Morphological study --- p.49 / Chapter 2.2.4 --- Discussion and conclusion --- p.54 / Chapter 2.3 --- Temporal polyethism in feeding behavior of age classes --- p.58 / Chapter 2.3.1 --- Definition of larva and worker --- p.58 / Chapter 2.3.2 --- Materials and methods --- p.59 / Chapter 2.3.2.1 --- Experimental set-up --- p.59 / Chapter 2.3.2.2 --- Observation methods --- p.60 / Chapter 2.3.3 --- Results --- p.60 / Chapter 2.3.4 --- Discussion and conclusion --- p.63 / Chapter Chapter 3 --- Ethograms of the age classes --- p.66 / Chapter 3.1 --- Introduction --- p.66 / Chapter 3.2 --- Definition of behaviors --- p.68 / Chapter 3.3 --- Materials and methods --- p.71 / Chapter 3.3.1 --- Preparation of embelling materials --- p.71 / Chapter 3.3.2 --- Experiemntal set-up --- p.71 / Chapter 3.3.3 --- Combination of termites inset-up --- p.73 / Chapter 3.3.4 --- Observation and scoring methods --- p.73 / Chapter 3.3.5 --- Data analysis --- p.74 / Chapter 3.4 --- Results --- p.76 / Chapter 3.4.1 --- Correlation between the frequencies of various behaviors and age of different age classes --- p.76 / Chapter 3.4.2 --- Repertoire size --- p.76 / Chapter 3.4.3 --- Task-related behavior --- p.81 / Chapter 3.4.4 --- Number of behavioral categories and % of time budget spent on various behavior categories within age --- p.81 / Chapter 3.4.5 --- Patterns of behavioral frequencies --- p.82 / Chapter 3.5 --- Discussion --- p.88 / Chapter 3.5.1 --- Discrete and continuous temporal polyethism --- p.88 / Chapter 3.5.2 --- Inactivity of larvae --- p.90 / Chapter 3.5.3 --- Starting point for the task related behaviors --- p.90 / Chapter 3.5.4 --- Relationship between morphological characters and behaviors --- p.91 / Chapter 3.5.5 --- Task performance amongst worker age classes --- p.91 / Chapter 3.5.6 --- Mouth-body touching and mouth tunnel touching behaviors --- p.92 / Chapter 3.5.7 --- Division of task related behaviors --- p.93 / Chapter Chapter 4 --- Temporal polyethism in trophallaxis and larval carrying and foraging behaviors of worker age classes --- p.95 / Chapter 4.1 --- Introduction --- p.95 / Chapter 4.2 --- Trophallaxis of eusocial insects --- p.96 / Chapter 4.3 --- Social carrying behavior of eusocial insects --- p.97 / Chapter 4.4 --- Foraging behaviors of eusocial insects --- p.99 / Chapter 4.5 --- Materials and methods --- p.100 / Chapter 4.5.1 --- Trophallaxis and socialcarrying behaviors experiment --- p.100 / Chapter 4.5.1.1 --- Definition of behaviors --- p.100 / Chapter 4.5.1.2 --- Experimental set-up --- p.100 / Chapter 4.5.1.3 --- Observation methods --- p.102 / Chapter 4.5.1.4 --- Data analysis --- p.102 / Chapter 4.5.2 --- Foraging behaviors experiment --- p.103 / Chapter 4.5.2.1 --- Experimental set-up --- p.103 / Chapter 4.5.2.2 --- Observation methods --- p.105 / Chapter 4.5.2.3 --- Definition of behaviors --- p.105 / Chapter 4.5.2.4 --- Data analysis --- p.106 / Chapter 4.6 --- Results --- p.107 / Chapter 4.6.1 --- Trophallaxis and larval carrying behaviors --- p.107 / Chapter 4.6.2 --- Foraging behaviors --- p.109 / Chapter 4.7 --- Discussion --- p.112 / Chapter Chapter 5 --- Temporal polyethism of various behaviors among sub-age classes of large worker --- p.117 / Chapter 5.1 --- Introduction --- p.117 / Chapter 5.2 --- Materials and methods --- p.119 / Chapter 5.2.1 --- Combination of individuals for experiment --- p.119 / Chapter 5.2.2 --- Labeling of individuals for identification --- p.119 / Chapter 5.2.3 --- Experimental set-up --- p.121 / Chapter 5.2.4 --- 400observation cycles score --- p.124 / Chapter 5.2.5 --- Acceptance criteria of behavior data --- p.125 / Chapter 5.2.6 --- Definition of behaviors and biometric parameters --- p.125 / Chapter 5.2.7 --- Principal component analysis (PCA) for sub-age classes separation --- p.129 / Chapter 5.2.8 --- Discriminant analysis for sub-age classes classification --- p.129 / Chapter 5.3 --- Statiscal analysis of behaviors --- p.130 / Chapter 5.4 --- Results --- p.130 / Chapter 5.4.1 --- Sub-age classes separation --- p.130 / Chapter 5.4.2 --- Temporal polyethism of the sub-age classes --- p.137 / Chapter 5.5 --- Discussion --- p.146 / Chapter Chapter 6 --- Discussion and conclusion --- p.151 / Chapter 6.1 --- Summary of chapters 1 -5 --- p.151 / Chapter 6.2 --- General discussion --- p.154 / Chapter 6.4 --- Conclusion --- p.157 / References --- p.159

The foraging behavior of native solitary and primitively social bees was analyzed by identifying scopal pollen loads. In all species individual bees specialized on one pollen type during single foraging bouts. Generalized foraging behavior at the species level may result from switching pollens on sequential foraging bouts in individuals or from the individuals of a colony simultaneously gathering different pollens. Foraging behavior at the species level had a bimodal distribution, indicating a functional division between specialists and generalists. Though approximately 40% of the generalist species switched pollen preferences between years, no specialist species switched preferences between years. Generalist species have longer seasonal activity periods than specialists. All specialists were found in families (Andrenidae, Colletidae, Megachilidae) or subfamilies (Dufoureinae) in which most species are known to be strictly solitary. Only generalists were found in the subfamily Halictinae which has both social and solitary species. Seasonal variability in flower abundance and phenology was related to foraging preferences of bees. Solitary and primitively social bees, that are univoltine and cannot easily track between-year variation in resources, preferred species with simple flowers and low variability in flower abundance. Bumblebees, with greater behavioral flexibility than solitary bees, used the more abundant and variable flowers when they are available. Foraging behaviors observed in solitary and primitively social bees may result from selection to minimize uncertainty where floral resources are variable and unpredictable between years. The persistence of different foraging behaviors and social behaviors in a bee community may be maintained by the complementary costs and benefits of each behavior. Generalists have greater flexibility in responding to temporal variation, but this flexibility is obtained at the expense of less efficient use of individual floral resources. Specialists do not switch resources and may therefore have greater foraging efficiency, but they will be at a disadvantage when there is high year-to-year variability. Social species can retain both flexibility and efficiency if individual colony members specialize on different resources. However, social bees require a longer period to produce reproductives than do solitary bees, and may have lowered fecundity if the blooming season is unusually short.

No description available.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Melbourne, Dept. of Zoology, 2006. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 79-91).

Thesis (Ph.D. (Zoology & Entomology)) - Rhodes University, 2007.

Doctorat en Sciences / info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

No description available.

Social insects are ecologically dominant because of their specialized, cooperative castes. Reproductive queens lay eggs, while workers take part in brood rearing, nest defense, and foraging. These cooperative castes are a prime example of phenotypic plasticity, whereby a single genetic code gives rise to variation in form and function based on environmental differences. Thus, social insects are well suited for studying mechanisms which give rise to and maintain phenotypic plasticity. At the molecular level, phenotypic plasticity coincides with the differential expression of genes. This dissertation examines the molecular evolution of genes with differential expression between discrete phenotypic or environmental contexts, represented chiefly by female queen and worker castes in social insects. The studies included herein examine evolution at three important levels of biological information: (i) gene expression, (ii) modifications to DNA in the form of methylation, and (iii) protein-coding sequence. From these analyses, a common theme has emerged: genes with differential expression among castes frequently exhibit signatures of relaxed selective constraint relative to ubiquitously expressed genes. Thus, genes associated with phenotypic plasticity paradoxically exhibit modest importance to overall fitness but exceptional evolutionary potential, as illustrated by the success of the social insects.

No description available.

Thesis (M.S.)--Brigham Young University. Dept. of Computer Science, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 69-74).