研究团队通过将对照组或病原体处理过的个体引入挖巢组并监测三维巢的形态发生，测试了黑拉瑟姆蚂蚁是否会根据病原体改变它们的巢结构。病原体暴露导致了巢结构的变化，包括巢生长速度加快、巢间距离增加、巢网络拓扑结构的传输抑制变化和巢室中心性降低。模拟证实了这些变化减少了传播，并强调了对疾病的建筑和行为反应之间的协同作用。这些结果为社会性动物的建筑免疫提供了证据，并为如何利用空间组织来降低流行病的易感性提供了见解。
研究人员表示，在动物群体中，空间结构塑造了社会互动模式，从而影响传染病的传播。因此，积极改变空间环境可以成为减轻流行病风险的有力工具。
附：英文原文
Title: Architectural immunity: Ants alter their nest networks to prevent epidemics
Author: Luke Leckie, Mischa Sinha Andon, Katherine Bruce, Nathalie Stroeymeyt
Issue&Volume: 2025-10-16
Abstract: In animal groups, spatial structure shapes social interaction patterns, thereby influencing the transmission of infectious diseases. Active modifications to the spatial environment could therefore be a potent tool to mitigate epidemic risk. We tested whether Lasius niger ants modify their nest architecture in response to pathogens by introducing control- or pathogen-treated individuals into nest-digging groups and monitoring three-dimensional nest morphogenesis. Pathogen exposure led to architectural changes, including faster nest growth, increased interentrance distance, transmission-inhibitory changes in nest network topology, and reduced chamber centrality. Simulations confirmed that these changes reduced transmission and highlighted a synergy between architectural and behavioral responses to disease. These results provide evidence for architectural immunity in a social animal and offer insights into how spatial organization can be leveraged to decrease epidemic susceptibility.
DOI: ads5930
Source: https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.ads5930