In a groundbreaking discovery, scientists have observed tiny nematode worms forming “superorganisms” by creating towering structures in the wild, a behavior previously only observed under experimental conditions.
According to a recent paper published in Current Biology, the observations of nematode worm towers forming in local orchards suggest a more cooperative behavior at play.
However, new images and video footage taken from local orchards in Konstanz, Germany, have now revealed these worm towers forming naturally on fallen fruits such as apples and pears.
Towering Behavior: A New Form of Cooperation The towering structures formed by these nematodes are not simply random clusters of worms.
Within two hours, the worms had formed a tower, demonstrating that this towering behavior is not exclusive to nematodes in orchards but could be a more generalized strategy for group movement in other types of worms.
In an unprecedented finding, researchers have seen small nematode worms build tall structures in the wild, forming “superorganisms,” a behavior that was previously only seen in lab settings. This phenomenon, which was observed by German researchers, casts doubt on the previous theory that competition was the driving force behind the behavior. A recent article in Current Biology claims that the formation of nematode worm towers in nearby orchards points to a more cooperative behavior at work. Known as mass transit or group movement, this behavior provides fresh perspectives on how these microscopic organisms move through their surroundings. In partnership with the University of Konstanz, the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior (MPI-AB) carried out the study.
Nematode Towers Found in the Wild.
Prior to this, nematodes had only ever been seen building towers in lab settings. Scientists hypothesized that this behavior was competitive, a means for the worms to get away from one another. But recent photos and videos from nearby orchards in Konstanz, Germany, have shown that these worm towers are naturally growing on fallen apples and pears. The fact that these towers were found in nature suggested a more mutualistic drive than rivalry for survival among individuals. The worms were able to move more effectively throughout their surroundings thanks to these structures, which the researchers verified were both naturally occurring and a type of mass transit.
Senior author and group leader at MPI-AB Serena Ding recalled the moment Ryan Greenway, a biologist at the University of Konstanz, shared the first video recording from the field, saying, “I was ecstatic when I saw these natural towers for the first time.”. Natural worm towers were a thing of our dreams for a very long time. However, with the correct tools and a great deal of curiosity, we were able to locate them in plain sight. This finding represents a critical turning point in our knowledge of the interactions and collaborations of these microscopic organisms in the natural world.
Towering Behavior: An Innovative Approach to Collaboration.
These nematodes are more than just haphazard worm clusters; they form towering structures. A postdoctoral researcher at MPI-AB and the study’s first author, Daniela Perez, asserts that a nematode tower is more than just a pile of worms. It is a superorganism in motion, a well-coordinated structure. This cooperative behavior gives these small animals a new means of group movement, which facilitates their ability to traverse challenging terrain. Additionally, only worms in a particular larval stage—referred to as “dauer”—participated in the tower building, suggesting that this behavior is not random but rather is probably influenced by environmental or genetic factors that affect development at this stage.
Fascinatingly, the study also shed light on how these towers work. The worms appeared to be able to “sense” their surroundings and modify their shape accordingly. Perez claimed that the towers were actively sensing and expanding. As soon as we touched them, they reacted by moving toward and adhering to the stimulus. By responding to environmental cues, the towers appear to be dynamic systems rather than passive structures, which makes them an extremely effective way for people to move together.
In contrast to other natural superorganisms.
In the animal kingdom, the idea of a “superorganism,” in which the various members of a species cooperate to form a single, functional unit, is not new. Fire ants, slime molds, and spider mites have all been shown to exhibit comparable behaviors. Nonetheless, the actions of these nematodes offer a novel illustration of this kind of worm-to-worm cooperation. In order to find out if this behavior could be repeated in other worm species, researchers ran a number of tests using roundworms (Caenorhabditis elegans), a model organism used in behavioral and biological research.
Researchers placed the roundworms in a laboratory environment using a toothbrush bristle as a scaffold on an agar plate. The worms formed a tower in just two hours, proving that this towering behavior is not unique to nematodes in orchards and may be a more widespread group movement strategy used by other worm species. “A completely new framework for investigating how and why animals move together is made possible by our study,” Ding said. According to this experiment, this type of cooperative structure may be found in many other species that depend on social or group-based behaviors to navigate their environments, instead of being an uncommon occurrence.
