Uncovering the Secrets of Fruit Fly Collective Behavior
Image Credit: John Tann - Drosophila Immigrans Species of Fruit Flies
A groundbreaking study has shed light on the intricate collective behaviour exhibited by fruit flies, a species often perceived as solitary. Led by Pavan Ramdya from the University of Lausanne, the research, published in Nature, demonstrates how these tiny organisms can make better decisions as a group than as individuals, a phenomenon known as the wisdom of the crowds[1].
The Role of Simple Rules and Neuronal Interactions
The collective behaviour observed in fruit flies can be attributed to three simple rules[1]:
- An individual fly walks more often when exposed to carbon dioxide.
- A fly turns around if it moves from fresh air to carbon dioxide.
- A fly walks away from a bumper if another fly bumps into it.
These rules, combined with the interactions between touch-sensitive neurons, enable the flies to collectively flee from a bad smell faster than any individual can do by itself[1]. In fact, even flies that cannot smell carbon dioxide can end up in fresh air due to the collective movement of the group[1].
The Influence of Genetics and Neurons
The study also delved into the genetic and neural mechanisms that drive this collective behaviour. Ramdya engineered several strains of flies with nerve-paralysing toxins in touch-sensitive neurons and, remarkably, was able to prove that these cells were driving the flies' collective behaviour by making them fire on demand with blue light[1].
Moreover, the research identified the exact neurons in the flies' legs that drive their group behaviour. Flies that lacked these neurons exhibited a reduced ability to move away from carbon dioxide, highlighting their crucial role in collective escape[1].
The Impact of Social Interactions
The study's findings have been hailed as significant by Iain Couzin from Princeton University and the Max Planck Institute for Ornithology. The computer simulation of virtual flies following the same rules reproduced the same effect observed in real life, further validating the importance of these simple rules in shaping collective behaviour[1].
The research on fruit fly collective behaviour not only provides insights into the behaviour of these organisms but also offers a model for understanding similar behaviours in other species, including humans. As Couzin notes, "The human brain, with 86 billion neurons, can collectively land machines on passing comets, craft works of astonishing beauty, and unravel the collective behaviors of other creatures"[1].
References
- Ramdya, Lichocki, Cruchet, Frisch, Tse, Floreano & Benton. 2014. Mechanosensory interactions drive collective behaviour in Drosophila. http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nature14024
- Unspecified sources.
- The study on fruit fly collective behavior, published in Nature, revealed that species like fruit flies, often viewed as solitary, can make better decisions as a group, a phenomenon known as the wisdom of the crowds.
- The research identified three simple rules as the basis for the collective behavior exhibited by fruit flies: changes in movement due to carbon dioxide, turning around when moving from fresh air to carbon dioxide, and avoiding bumps from other flies.
- Genetic and neuronal mechanisms were also explored in the study, with the discovery of nerve-paralysing toxins in touch-sensitive neurons driving the flies' collective behavior when activated with blue light.
- A specific set of neurons in the flies' legs were identified as being instrumental in driving their group behavior, with flies lacking these neurons showing a reduced ability to escape from carbon dioxide.
- The findings have been celebrated by experts like Iain Couzin, who claimed that computer simulations of virtual flies following the same rules reproduced the same effects observed in reality, validating the importance of these simple rules in shaping collective behavior.
- The insights gained from this study on fruit fly collective behavior may extend to understanding similar behaviors in other species, including humans, potentially providing models for various fields such as health-and-wellness, fitness-and-exercise, technology, education-and-self-development, entertainment, general-news, and even space-and-astronomy.
