task organization
DESCRIPTION
Zompopas Task organizationTRANSCRIPT
T H E W O R L D O F
T H E Z O M P O P A S
Brochure 2Brochure 2Brochure 2Brochure 2
---- Tas k organizationTas k organizationTas k organizationTas k organization----
Elaborated by :Elaborated by :Elaborated by :Elaborated by :
Ibrahim Zúñiga Chaves, Adrián Pinto TomasIbrahim Zúñiga Chaves, Adrián Pinto TomasIbrahim Zúñiga Chaves, Adrián Pinto TomasIbrahim Zúñiga Chaves, Adrián Pinto Tomas
Universidad de Costa RicaUniversidad de Costa RicaUniversidad de Costa RicaUniversidad de Costa Rica
Translaled by:Translaled by:Translaled by:Translaled by:
José GuevaraJosé GuevaraJosé GuevaraJosé Guevara
Universidad de Costa RicaUniversidad de Costa RicaUniversidad de Costa RicaUniversidad de Costa Rica
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The 3 brochure series: “The W
orld of the Zompopas” offers a
The 3 brochure series: “The W
orld of the Zompopas” offers a
The 3 brochure series: “The W
orld of the Zompopas” offers a
The 3 brochure series: “The W
orld of the Zompopas” offers a
summ
arized
version of the even
ts and interactions that take
summ
arized
version of the even
ts and interactions that take
summ
arized
version of the even
ts and interactions that take
summ
arized
version of the even
ts and interactions that take
place inside and outside of the colonies of these
fascinating
place inside and outside of the colonies of these
fascinating
place inside and outside of the colonies of these
fascinating
place inside and outside of the colonies of these
fascinating
ants, which belong to the Genus Atta and Acromyrmex
ants, which belong to the Genus Atta and Acromyrmex
ants, which belong to the Genus Atta and Acromyrmex
ants, which belong to the Genus Atta and Acromyrmex
Learn more at:
www.zompopas.comwww.zompopas.comwww.zompopas.comwww.zompopas.com
Made possible thanks to the award: Made possible thanks to the award: Made possible thanks to the award: Made possible thanks to the award:
“Aportes a la Calidad y la Excelencia”, “Aportes a la Calidad y la Excelencia”, “Aportes a la Calidad y la Excelencia”, “Aportes a la Calidad y la Excelencia”,
from Florida Ice and Farm Co.from Florida Ice and Farm Co.from Florida Ice and Farm Co.from Florida Ice and Farm Co.
1. Alex Wild. www.alexanderwild.com
2. Rolando Moreira. Universidad de Costa Rica
3. Ibrahim Zúñiga. Universidad de Costa Rica
4. Dennis Castro. Universidad de Costa Rica
5. Reyner Araya
Photographs
Zompopa ants are the animal kingdom’s grea-Zompopa ants are the animal kingdom’s grea-Zompopa ants are the animal kingdom’s grea-Zompopa ants are the animal kingdom’s grea-
test farmers. They cut leaves and take them to test farmers. They cut leaves and take them to test farmers. They cut leaves and take them to test farmers. They cut leaves and take them to
their colonies in order to prepare a substrate their colonies in order to prepare a substrate their colonies in order to prepare a substrate their colonies in order to prepare a substrate
that will be used to culture a symbiotic fungus, that will be used to culture a symbiotic fungus, that will be used to culture a symbiotic fungus, that will be used to culture a symbiotic fungus,
thus creating a real fungus garden that serves thus creating a real fungus garden that serves thus creating a real fungus garden that serves thus creating a real fungus garden that serves
both a food source and as shelter. All the both a food source and as shelter. All the both a food source and as shelter. All the both a food source and as shelter. All the
tasks within the colony have been optimized to tasks within the colony have been optimized to tasks within the colony have been optimized to tasks within the colony have been optimized to
efficiently culture the fungus.efficiently culture the fungus.efficiently culture the fungus.efficiently culture the fungus.
1111 The first step in the agricultural system the ants
have developed is cutting leaf fragments from trees
and take them to colonies. This task is undertaken
by foragers, which are the medium sized ants in the
colony. The distance covered by a forager on a
roundtrip to the colony is equivalent to a human
travelling 50km carr-
ying a burden of 250
kg.
3333 These newly formed smaller bits are then proces-
sed by another group of ants, the minimal workers.
These create a pulp which is then positioned on the
uppermost part of
the fungus and
cultivated with
symbiotic fungi
taken from the
lower areas. This
way the fungus
garden is constan-
tly growing.
4444 The colony also expands continuously. Ants create
new culture chambers by taking pieces of the fun-
gus garden and taking them to new areas where
they have detected that conditions (humidity, tem-
perature) are optimum for the fungus’s develop-
ment.
5555 The symbiotic
fungus produ-
ces a series of
structures ca-
lled gongylidia,
which are con-
sumed by ants
as food becau-
se of their high
content in nutri-
tious compo-
nents compa-
red to other
parts of the gar-
den. Workers cut these structures and offer them
to the queen and larvae. Next to the text is a mi-
crography of such formations.
2222 Small ants inside the colony take care of cutting
leaf fragments into smaller bits.
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4444
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T A S K T A S K T A S K T A S K O R G A N I Z A T I O NO R G A N I Z A T I O NO R G A N I Z A T I O NO R G A N I Z A T I O N
Their mandibles are
saws specialized in
cutting plant material.
6666 In the lowermost part of the fungus garden partia-
lly degraded plant material and other waste mate-
rials are accumulated. Zompopas have developed
dumpsters, which are places where they place all
that material. Most species do it in underground
chambers away from the fungus gardens. However
some species like Atta colombica, found in the
south of Costa Rica
have their mounds
outside. These in
turn are a nutrient
source for various
plants and animals.
1111 5555 2222
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