New paper from Einat & Iain: The chemical ecology of locust cannibalism

4. Mai 2023

Locust plagues threaten food security across the globe, with infestations estimated to affect the livelihood of 1 in 10 people. Cannibalistic interactions have been implicated in the formation and maintenance of these swarms. The threat of consumption by others is thought to have resulted in selection pressure for flightless juvenile locusts to use both visual and tactile information to move away from those approaching and to move toward those moving away. The outcome is large-scale, coordinated motion out of nutrient-poor areas, with the benefit of conspecifics being a source of essential, yet often scarce, nutrients along the way.

Couzin & Couzin-Fuchs (2023). The chemical ecology of locust cannibalism. Science, 380(6644), 454-455.
https://doi.org/10.1126/science.adh5264