Finding shortcuts through collective tunnel excavation in a subterranean termite

Facilitating efficient resource transfer requires building an optimized transportation network that balances cost minimization with benefit maximization. For animals that forage for food located remotely, optimizing their transportation networks is critically related to survival. This process often involves finding and using the shortest route to save time and energy. Subterranean termites forage for wood resources by excavating underground foraging networks for search and transport. Because termites have no prior knowledge of food location during the food searching phase, establishment of a short tunnel between the nest and feeding site is difficult at the beginning of foraging. Thus, finding a short route should logically follow initial food discovery. However, it remains elusive as to how subterranean termites find the shortest route for food transportation. We simulated different scenarios using Coptotermes formosanus by providing different shapes and distances of pre-formed tunnels..., Please see the README document and the accompanying accepted articles: Zion Michael, Thomas Chouvenc, Nan-Yao Su and Sang-Bin Lee. 2023. Finding shortcuts through collective tunnel excavation in a subterranean termite. Behavioral Ecology. , R