Revisiting stigmergy in light of multi-functional, biogenic, termite structures as communication channel

Sebastian Oberst; Joseph C S Lai; Richard Martin; Benjamin J Halkon; Mohammad Saadatfar; Theodore A Evans

doi:10.1016/j.csbj.2020.08.012

Revisiting stigmergy in light of multi-functional, biogenic, termite structures as communication channel

Comput Struct Biotechnol J. 2020 Aug 19:18:2522-2534. doi: 10.1016/j.csbj.2020.08.012. eCollection 2020.

Authors

Sebastian Oberst^{1

2}, Joseph C S Lai², Richard Martin¹, Benjamin J Halkon¹, Mohammad Saadatfar³, Theodore A Evans⁴

Affiliations

¹ Centre for Audio, Acoustics and Vibration, Faculty of Engineering and IT, University of Technology Sydney, 15 Broadway, Ultimo, NSW 2007, Australia.
² School of Engineering and IT, University of New South Wales Canberra, Northcott Dr, Campbell ACT 2612, Australia.
³ Department of Applied Mathematics, Australian National University, 58-60 Mills Road, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia.
⁴ School of Biological Sciences, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Hwy, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia.

Abstract

Termite mounds are fascinating because of their intriguing composition of numerous geometric shapes and materials. However, little is known about these structures, or of their functionalities. Most research has been on the basic composition of mounds compared with surrounding soils. There has been some targeted research on the thermoregulation and ventilation of the mounds of a few species of fungi-growing termites, which has generated considerable interest from human architecture. Otherwise, research on termite mounds has been scattered, with little work on their explicit properties. This review is focused on how termites design and build functional structures as nest, nursery and food storage; for thermoregulation and climatisation; as defence, shelter and refuge; as a foraging tool or building material; and for colony communication, either as in indirect communication (stigmergy) or as an information channel essential for direct communication through vibrations (biotremology). Our analysis shows that systematic research is required to study the properties of these structures such as porosity and material composition. High resolution computer tomography in combination with nonlinear dynamics and methods from computational intelligence may provide breakthroughs in unveiling the secrets of termite behaviour and their mounds. In particular, the examination of dynamic and wave propagation properties of termite-built structures in combination with a detailed signal analysis of termite activities is required to better understand the interplay between termites and their nest as superorganism. How termite structures serve as defence in the form of disguising acoustic and vibration signals from detection by predators, and what role local and global vibration synchronisation plays for building are open questions that need to be addressed to provide insights into how termites utilise materials to thrive in a world of predators and competitors.

Keywords: Biotremology; Complexity; Functional materials; Superorganism; Termite structures; Vibrational communication.

Publication types

Review