2025/10/16 by Luke Leckie, Mischa Sinha Andon, Kenneth D. Bruce +1 · 1 voice
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology · Agricultural and Biological Sciences · #Insect and Arachnid Ecology and Behavior #Plant and animal studies #Animal Behavior and Reproduction
paper · doi:10.1126/science.ads5930
In animal groups, spatial structure shapes social interaction patterns, thereby influencing the transmission of infectious diseases. Active modifications to the spatial environment could therefore be a potent tool to mitigate epidemic risk. We tested whether Lasius niger ants modify their nest architecture in response to pathogens by introducing control- or pathogen-treated individuals into nest-digging groups and monitoring three-dimensional nest morphogenesis. Pathogen exposure led to architectural changes, including faster nest growth, increased interentrance distance, transmission-inhibitory changes in nest network topology, and reduced chamber centrality. Simulations confirmed that these changes reduced transmission and highlighted a synergy between architectural and behavioral responses to disease. These results provide evidence for architectural immunity in a social animal and offer insights into how spatial organization can be leveraged to decrease epidemic susceptibility.