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The question of how antlion spatial patterns, such as pit depth, width,
and nearest neighbor, as well as group behavior vary with respect to
spatial constraints and interruptions in possible communication pathways
was examined through the procedure.
The objective of the research was to expand upon the established
conclusion from the previous years experiment, which determined that
antlions space themselves in a hexagonal pattern and maintain a constant
ratio between all pits to reduce intraspecies competition.
In order to test the natural hexagonal dispersion pattern of the
antlions the follow up study aimed to identify the method of
organization of the organisms, as the previous years study clearly
illustrated that the organisms had a standard distribution pattern, and
thereby some means of communicating or understanding spatial information
in order to achieve that pattern.
In order to develop a conclusion regarding the method of communication
three initial hypothesis were made and it was determined that the
antlions communicated through the use of making trail in the sand, which
allowed them to mathematically determine a settling position, or that
the antlions used obstacles and pits as regulatory mechanisms, or
finally that antlions had no means of communication, but rather their
cannibalistic nature determined the settlement pattern observed.
With this in mind a procedure was drafted that contained three distinct
trials, one where antlion trails were removed, one where fake pits were
introduced, and one where obstacles were introduced into the
environment.
With this procedure several similar ``cooperative'' behaviors to prior
studies were observed, with the antlions remaining under the soil when
the surface was overpopulated (demonstrable by a significantly lower
number of pits forming in smaller trials).
Along with this the antlions seemed to be most disrupted by the
introduction of fake pits, as during these trials the averager pit
depth, pit width, and nearest neighbor calculation changed
significantly, thereby indicating that antlions use the presence of pits
around them to mathematically determine where they need to settle on an
instinctual level.
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