D. Förderung des wissenschaftlichen Nachwuchses

versus nest work, and whether they spend time in multiple areas of the nest (high
dispersion) or remain localized (low dispersion). For example, fig. 1 shows that
some foragers had low dispersion and were observed mostly on the dance floor
(cluster 1 - blue), whereas other foragers had high dispersion and were observed
in other nest areas (clusters 2 and 3 - orange, green). Nest workers could also ex-
hibit low dispersion (cluster 8 - gray), intermediate dispersion (cluster 5 - purple),
or high dispersion (cluster 4 - red). Other behavioral differences are distinguished
by a high number of outside trips (cluster 2 - orange), more time in the brood
area (cluster 6 - brown), and more time in the honey Stores (cluster 7 - pink). Ap-
plying this method to individual bees over their entire lifetimes reveals consistent
differences in movement characteristics as well as differences in how early a bee
transitions to foraging work. We are currently preparing a publication that details
these results.
Hierarchical framework for comparing collective Systems
A core part of our project is to compare the collective behavior of different Systems.
In general, comparing biological Systems at different scales is difficult because of
the many parameters that govern behavior. Furthermore, it is often true that the
fine-scale details do not matter at a larger scale. Instead of comparing the details
of different Systems that are non-transferrable, one can implement a hierarchical
approach that asks questions at different levels of Organization, and then asks how
these levels connect. In the past year we constructed a cohesive analysis framework
with question levels that can be applied to collective behavior. This framework
uses the term “collective mechanisms” to describe the intermediate link between
individuals and Overall group behavior (fig. 2), and is summarized by the following
questions:
1. Group description: Who is included in the group, and what is the group struc-
ture?
2. Implementation: How is individual behavior used to implement a certain coll-
ective mechanism?
3. Algorithm: How do various collective mechanisms contribute to Overall group
function?
4. Adaptation: How are behavioral algorithms and group function adapted to the
surrounding environment?
This approach is particularly relevant for our Systems, which both perform coll-
ective sensing and decision making to maintain homeostasis, respond to per-
turbations, allocate resources, and coordinate group response (fig. 2). In a per-
spective article (Davidson et al., 2021), we describe this framework and use a
case-study (response to a perturbation) to show how this hierarchical approach
can be applied. In the article we examine how various collective mechanisms

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