Ageing and sociality: why, when and how does sociality change ageing patterns?

Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences, Journal Year: 2021, Volume and Issue: 376(1823), P. 20190727 - 20190727

Published: March 8, 2021

Individual lifespans vary tremendously between and also within species, but the proximate ultimate causes of different ageing speeds are still not well understood. Sociality appears to be associated with evolution greater longevity probably a larger plasticity shape pace ageing. For example, reproductives several termites ants reach that surpass those their non-reproductive nestmates by one or two decades. In this issue, 15 papers explore interrelations sociality individual in both, group-living vertebrates social insects. Here, we briefly give an overview contents various contributions, including theoretical comparative studies, similarities dissimilarities mechanisms underlying among taxa, particular emphasis on nutrient-sensing pathways and, insects, juvenile hormone. These studies point underestimated role more downstream processes. We highlight need for reliable transcriptomic markers comprehensive theory animals, which includes reproductive potential workers, considers fact insect queens maturity only after prolonged period producing workers. This article is part theme issue 'Ageing sociality: why, when how does change patterns?'

Language: Английский

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Insecticide resistance in social insects: assumptions, realities, and possibilities

Current Opinion in Insect Science, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 62, P. 101161 - 101161

Published: Jan. 21, 2024

Insecticide resistance is an evolved ability to survive insecticide exposure. Compared with nonsocial insects, eusocial insects have lower numbers of documented cases resistance. Eusocial include beneficial and pest species that can be incidentally or purposely targeted insecticides. The central goal this review explore factors either limit the detect it in insects. We surveyed literature found has been bees, but other groups such as ants termites, evidence more sparse. suggest path forward for better understanding should tractable experimental models, comprehensive geographic sampling, testing impacts social, symbiont, genetic, ecological factors.

Language: Английский

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Social life results in social stress protection: a novel concept to explain individual life‐history patterns in social insects

Biological reviews/Biological reviews of the Cambridge Philosophical Society, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 99(4), P. 1444 - 1457

Published: March 11, 2024

ABSTRACT Resistance to and avoidance of stress slow aging confer increased longevity in numerous organisms. Honey bees other superorganismal social insects have two main advantages over solitary species avoid or resist stress: individuals can directly help each by resource information transfer, they cooperatively control their environment. These benefits been recognised the context pathogen parasite as concept immunity, which has extensively studied. However, we argue that immunity is only a special case general define here protection include group‐level defences against all biotic abiotic stressors. We reason may allowed evolution reduced individual‐level individual life‐history optimization, including exceptional plasticity many insects. describe major categories how colonial lifestyle protect insects, particularly temporary peaks extreme stress. use honey bee ( Apis mellifera L.) illustrate patterns life expectancy be explained modern beekeeping practices disrupt protection. conclude broad requires rigorous empirical testing because it implications for our understanding specifically improving health.

Language: Английский

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Ageing effects of social environments in ‘non-social’ insects

Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 379(1916)

Published: Oct. 28, 2024

It is increasingly clear that social environments have profound impacts on the life histories of ‘non-social’ animals. However, it not yet well known how species with varying degrees sociality respond to different contexts and whether such effects are sex-specific. To survey extent which specifically affect lifespan ageing in non-social species, we performed a systematic literature review, focusing invertebrates but excluding eusocial insects. We found 80 studies or parameters were measured relation changes same-sex opposite-sex exposure, group size cues thereof. Most focused manipulations adults, often reporting sex differences following exposure opposite sex. Some highlighted developmental partner age lifespan. Several explored potential underlying mechanisms, emphasizing insects could provide excellent opportunities interrogate basis ageing. discuss what these can tell us about environment as stressor, trade-offs resources prompted by contexts. suggest fruitful avenues for further research across wider more diverse range taxa. This article part discussion meeting issue ‘Understanding society using natural populations’.

Language: Английский

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King- and queen-specific degradation of uric acid contributes to reproduction in termites

Proceedings of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 290(1990)

Published: Jan. 4, 2023

Caste-based reproductive division of labour in social insects is built on asymmetries resource allocation within colonies. Kings and queens dominantly consume limited resources for reproduction, while non-reproductive castes such as workers soldiers help castes. Studying the regulation crucial understanding maintenance sociality insects, although molecular background poorly understood. We focused uric acid, which reserved used a valuable nitrogen source wood-eating termites. found that king- queen-specific degradation acid contributes to reproduction subterranean termite Reticulitermes speratus . The urate oxidase gene ( RsUAOX ), catalyses first step recycling from stored was highly expressed mature kings queens, upregulated with differentiation into neotenic kings/queens. Suppression decreased number eggs laid per queen. Uric shown be provided by Our results suggest capacity use nitrogen, essential protein synthesis required maintains colony cohesion monopoly held queens.

Language: Английский

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Discovery of an underground chamber to protect kings and queens during winter in temperate termites

Scientific Reports, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 13(1)

Published: May 31, 2023

Overwintering is a critical part of the annual cycle for species that live in temperate, polar, and alpine regions. Consequently, low-temperature biology key determinant temperate distribution. Termites are distributed predominantly tropical regions, limited number found zone. Here, termite Reticulitermes speratus, we report discovery an underground chamber protects kings queens to survive winter, which separate from one they used during warmer breeding season. In spring, royals inhabited decayed logs on ground, then moved their located roots stumps fall. The winter minimum temperature measured royal was higher than ground. overwintering termites, had cold tolerance workers soldiers. Air temperatures dropped below multiple times, as evidenced past 140 years weather records Kyoto. These results demonstrated survival strategies reproductives overcome environment at latitudinal limits. This study helps further understanding termite's seasonal phenology, long-term survivorship, life cycle.

Language: Английский

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Sand termite herbivory causes Namibia´ s fairy circles – A response to

Perspectives in Plant Ecology Evolution and Systematics, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 60, P. 125745 - 125745

Published: June 3, 2023

In parts of Angola, Namibia and South Africa the sparse vegetation at margin Namib Desert is often dotted with roughly circular bare patches. The origin these “fairy circles” (FC) subject an ongoing debate. a recent article in PPEES, Getzin et al. (2022) provided assessments grasses termites combined soil moisture measurements, near to fairy circles several areas Namibia. their interpretation they state that termite herbivory not causing this grass death as plants had undamaged roots. Instead propose matrix severely depleted water FCs. Here, we use comprehensive, detailed body measurements collated during last 14 years alternative interpretation. We structure our four statements, each them based on shown evidence: (1) Long-term confirm beneath dry topsoil patch contains equal or, especially biologically active season, higher amount than surrounding matrix, any given time. die moist phase first weeks after rain, before even gets by transpiration. (2) Within sandy soils circle landscapes, there no sufficiently strong “uptake –diffusion feedback” could cause horizontal movement over meters within few days. (3) centre later towards margin. (4) dies because damage roots due sand termites.

Language: Английский

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Complex regulatory role of DNA methylation in caste- and age-specific expression of a termite

Open Biology, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 12(7)

Published: July 1, 2022

The reproductive castes of eusocial insects are often characterized by extreme lifespans and output, indicating an absence the fecundity/longevity trade-off. role DNA methylation in regulation caste- age-specific gene expression is controversial. While some studies find a clear link to caste formation honeybees ants, others no correlation when replication increased across independent colonies. Although recent have identified transcription patterns involved maintenance high reproduction throughout long lives queens, these genes unknown. We carried out comparative analysis caste-specific its importance for fertility longevity queens higher termite Macrotermes natalensis . found evidence significant, well-regulated changes mature compared young especially several related ageing fecundity queens. also strong between alternative splicing. This study reveals complex regulatory fat body both division labour termites, during maturation

Language: Английский

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Higher levels of the lipophilic antioxidants coenzyme Q₁₀ and vitamin E in long‐lived termite queens than in short‐lived workers

Insect Science, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 31(1), P. 201 - 210

Published: June 6, 2023

Abstract Termite queens and kings live longer than nonreproductive workers. Several molecular mechanisms contributing to their long lifespan have been investigated; however, the underlying biochemical explanation remains unclear. Coenzyme Q (CoQ), a component of mitochondrial electron transport chain, plays an essential role in lipophilic antioxidant defense system. Its beneficial effects on health longevity well studied several organisms. Herein, we demonstrated that long‐lived termite significantly higher levels CoQ 10 Liquid chromatography analysis revealed reduced form were 4 fold queen's body worker's body. In addition, showed 7 vitamin E, which antilipid peroxidation along with CoQ, Furthermore, oral administration termites increased redox state survival rate under oxidative stress. These findings suggest acts as efficient E queens. This study provides evolutionary insights into relationship between concentrations extension.

Language: Английский

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Advancing methods for the biodemography of aging within social contexts

Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 153, P. 105400 - 105400

Published: Sept. 20, 2023

Language: Английский

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