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Ant colonies may suddenly synchronize their movements after reaching a critical threshold, according to a new mathematical model developed by researchers.
Ants in a colony normally move independently, but sometimes large numbers of them become active almost simultaneously, creating what scientists call “activity bursts.” These periods of intense movement are followed by periods of relative calm.
Researchers compared the phenomenon to phase transitions in physical systems. Their model suggests that synchronization occurs when ants become sufficiently sensitive to the activity of their neighbors and when an active ant can spread that activity faster than the timescale of the bursts.
The model divides ants into three states: active, inactive and refractory. Active ants move and can activate nearby individuals. Inactive ants remain still but can be stimulated to move, while refractory ants are temporarily unable to become active, preventing activity bursts from continuing indefinitely.
Simulations showed that activity faded when ants moved too slowly or encountered one another too rarely. However, once movement speed, colony density or the interaction radius exceeded a critical threshold, encounters became frequent enough for activity initiated by a single ant to spread throughout the colony.
Researchers emphasize that the model does not predict exactly when a previously calm colony will become active. Instead, it determines whether the colony is in a state capable of producing synchronized bursts of activity.
Scientists say the findings could also help explain how synchronization emerges in other complex systems without a central leader.
