An integrative approach towards the evolutionary origin of termite collective building

This project investigates the evolutionary origin of collective building behaviors in termites over approximately 150 million years of evolution. Termites exhibit a remarkable diversity in nest construction: some species are simple wood-dwellers, while others build large mounds connected by extensive underground foraging tunnel networks. This addresses a fundamental question in biology, how do complex behavioral traits evolve from simpler ones. Focusing on underground tunneling behaviors, the project quantitatively compares behavioral diversity across 21 species at local, national, and global sampling scales. The data obtained will be integrated with computer simulations and phylogenetic comparative analysis to identify the key behavioral changes responsible for the evolution of complex nest building. The project also utilizes the unique termite diversity in Alabama to increase public awareness of termite biology and evolution. Broader impacts include outreach activities targeting K-12 students and homeowners, development of science-based educational resources for local termite species, and establishment of a termite identification service in Alabama. This supports evidence-based pest management and public education for wood-damaging insects. This project uses an integrative approach to identify the behavioral mechanisms underlying the evolution of complex nest construction in termites. Aim 1 quantifies behavioral diversity in tunnel excavation across 21 termite species representing a wide range of nest complexity. By comparing both the individual behavior and outcome structures within the phylogenetic comparative framework, the project tests whether interspecific variation in tunneling arises primarily through modification of shared behavioral rules or through shifts between fundamentally different behavioral modes. Aim 2 develops an individual-based model of termite tunneling dynamics to test how variation in social interaction parameters can generate diverse group-level structures from the same set of behavioral rules. Evolutionary simulations evaluating the search efficiency of tunneling patterns will provide complementary support for empirical findings from Aim 1. Aim 3 expands the analysis from tunneling to nest construction more broadly, investigating how the evolution of excavation mechanisms may constrain or facilitate the emergence of external nest structures. Overall, this project provides a comprehensive framework for understanding the evolution of collective behavior and self-organized construction in social animals. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.