Chapter 9 Social Homeostasis and Flexibility Summary

Social homeostatis (the maintenance of a steady social or physiological state by self-regulation) and flexibility are treated in this chapter - how does the colony maintain consistent operation and success over time, given a changing environment? "[T]he organization of ant colonies...permits relatively efficient social regulation with the loosest of command structures" (p. 356).

Approaches to solving complex problems are considered in the abstract; tasks may be accomplished in serial operations or in parallel operations. Depending upon labor available, one method is potentially superior to the other. Strategies for determining which method to use are discussed. From the abstract basis the text moves forward to apply general principles to the specific case of a colony.

An ant colony can be considered to be a single organism in many respects. Regulation of homeostasis, for example, must...