DOI: 10.5061/dryad.j0zpc86sk
title: Data from: Ground warming boosts cooperative food transport in a temperate ant species

description: Understanding the effects of global warming on collective behaviours is
 crucial, as these traits are prevalent among social animals that play key
 ecological roles. A direct and overlooked consequence of global warming is
 rising ground temperatures, which can influence collective behaviours by
 altering social animals' coordination, physiology, and communication.
 Ants, being highly sensitive to temperature fluctuations and reliant on
 collective tasks, serve as an ideal model to examine the effects of ground
 warming on collective behaviours such as cooperative transport (CT)—the
 coordinated effort to move large objects. We used an innovative, portable
 warming device to test the CT performance of Dorymyrmex tener, an
 ecologically relevant ant species from the Patagonian steppe, Argentina.
 Ground warming enhanced CT success, accuracy, and efficiency, primarily
 driven by physiological responses to elevated temperatures. Notably, most
 CT metrics in this temperate ant species remained at peak levels even
 under extreme warming conditions, suggesting high resilience to warming
 and potential buffering against thermal stress. However, extreme warming
 slightly reduced CT success, indicating the limits of this resilience.
 These results provide novel insights into how social animals may cope with
 global warming, emphasizing the importance of incorporating collective
 behavioural responses into ecological predictions under changing climatic
 conditions.
description: # Ground warming boosts cooperative transport in a temperate ant species
 ## Dataset and Scripts *Last updated: Jul 17, 2025* This repository
 contains the dataset and R script associated with the manuscript
 *"Ground warming boosts cooperative transport in a temperate ant
 species"*, accepted in *Proceedings of the Royal Society B*. The
 files support all analyses and figures presented in the publication. ---
 ## Files ### 1. `groundWarmingResultTable_Dryad.xlsx` **Description:**
 Main dataset used in the study. This Excel file contains all observations
 used in statistical analyses and visualizations. * **Rows (n = 111)**:
 Each row represents a unique trial involving one ant nest, conducted under
 a specific warming treatment on a given date. * **Columns (n = 32)**: Each
 variable is described in detail below (see "Variable
 Descriptions"). --- ### 2. `groundWarmingResultTable_Dryad.csv`
 **Description:** CSV version of the Excel dataset described above. This
 file contains the exact same content and structure as the Excel version,
 with identical variable names and row ordering. --- ### 3.
 `EXP3_calentamiento.txt` **Description:** Tab-delimited plain-text version
 of the Excel dataset described above. This file is explicitly referenced
 in the accompanying R script and was used for all statistical and SEM
 analyses reported in the manuscript. Although this `.txt` file is ready
 for immediate use in our R script, users may alternatively load the
 dataset from the original Excel file (`.xlsx`) or the CSV version by
 modifying the data import section of the R script accordingly. --- ### 4.
 `EXP3_calentamiento.R` **Description:** R script used to perform the full
 set of statistical analyses presented in the manuscript, including: *
 Generalized Linear Mixed Models (GLMMs) testing the effect of warming on
 behavioral traits. * Model comparison to assess the contribution of random
 effects (e.g., nest ID, trial order). * Preparation of variables for
 structural equation modeling (SEM) using the `lavaan` package. --- ##
 Variable descriptions Units of measure and legends are provided where
 applicable. 1. **`num`**: Row index (1–111); numeric ID for each trial. 2.
 **`label`**: Unique code for each trial combining day, nest, and trial
 number (e.g., `D3_N4_T1`). 3. **`site`**: Field site. Categorical: `ElCon`
 = "El Cóndor"; `Solares` = "Solares". 4. **`day`**:
 Experimental day (e.g., `D3`, `D10`). 5. **`nest`**: Identifier for the
 focal nest (e.g., `N4`, `N20`). 6. **`trial`**: Trial number within day
 and nest (e.g., `T1`, `T2`). 7. **`date`**: Date of trial in `DD_MM_YYYY`
 format. 8. **`treat_lett2`**: Treatment group. Categorical: `plus0` =
 control (ambient), `plus05` = +5 °C, `plus15` = +15 °C, `plus25` = +25 °C.
 9. **`treat_temp_avg`**: Mean plate surface temperature during trial (°C).
 10. **`ambient_temp`**: Air temperature at ground level (°C). 11.
 **`success`**: Bait removed from arena (1 = yes, 0 = no). 12.
 **`move_1cm`**: Bait moved ≥1 cm (1 = yes, 0 = no). 13. **`angle`**:
 Angular deviation from nest direction (degrees). 14. **`angle_pos`**:
 Absolute angle (degrees). 15. **`bait_remov_prop`**: Proportion of bait
 removed (range: 0–1). 16. **`CT_success`**: Composite outcome variable for
 successful CT. 17. **`time_move`**: Time to initiation of bait movement
 (s). 18. **`time_transp`**: Duration of the transport phase (s). 19.
 **`time_total`**: Total duration of trial (s). 20. **`dist_transp_mm`**:
 Distance bait was transported (mm). 21. **`sinuosity`**: Path tortuosity;
 ratio of traveled distance to straight-line distance (unitless). 22.
 **`vel_indiv`**: Speed of individual ants during exploration (mm/s). 23.
 **`vel_navig_mms`**: Speed of ants during navigation (mm/s). 24.
 **`vel_transp_mms`**: Speed of bait during cooperative transport (mm/s).
 25. **`recruit1_num`**, 26. **`recruit2_num`**: Number of ants around bait
 at two recruitment time points. 27. **`recruitAVG_num`**: Average number
 of recruiters. Calculated with **`recruit1_num`**, **`recruit2_num`**  28.
 **`transp1_num`**, 29. **`transp2_num`**, 30. **`transp3_num`**: Number of
 ants transporting the bait at three points in time. 31.
 **`transpAVG_num`**: Average number of transporters. Calculated
 with **`transp1_num`**, **`transp2_num`**, **`transp3_num`.** 32.
 **`vel_index`**: Composite velocity index corrected for transporter number
 (unitless). --- ## Notes * **Units**: * Temperature: degrees Celsius (°C)
 * Distance: millimeters (mm) * Time: seconds (s) * Velocity: millimeters
 per second (mm/s) * Angles: degrees (°) - **Conditional blanks (`n/a`)**:
 Some cells are filled with `n/a` to indicate values that are **not
 applicable**. For example, when cooperative transport was unsuccessful
 (`success = 0`), variables like `dist_transp_mm` or `vel_transp_mms` are
 set to `n/a` because no movement occurred. These are not missing data, but
 conditional blanks based on experimental outcome. * All analyses were
 performed in R version 4.2.2. * For details on data processing and
 modeling procedures, refer to the Methods section of the manuscript.