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A Minimal Model of the Phase Transition into Thermoregulatory Huddling

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Biomimetic and Biohybrid Systems (Living Machines 2013)

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNAI,volume 8064))

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Abstract

Huddling by endotherms is an important model through which to study the emergence of complexity. Canals et al. (2011) have recently described the emergence of huddling in rodents as a phase transition mediated by the ambient environmental temperature [1]. We present an agent-based model as a minimal account of the reported transition to huddling at low temperatures. Simulation results suggest that the huddle self-organises as ambient temperature changes drive individuals from ‘orient-from-contacts’ to ‘orient-to-contact’ behaviours.

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References

  1. Canals, M., Bozinovic, F.: Huddling Behavior as Critical Phase Transition Triggered by Low Temperatures. Complexity 17(1), 35–43 (2011)

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© 2013 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Glancy, J., Groß, R., Wilson, S.P. (2013). A Minimal Model of the Phase Transition into Thermoregulatory Huddling. In: Lepora, N.F., Mura, A., Krapp, H.G., Verschure, P.F.M.J., Prescott, T.J. (eds) Biomimetic and Biohybrid Systems. Living Machines 2013. Lecture Notes in Computer Science(), vol 8064. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-39802-5_41

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-39802-5_41

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-39801-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-39802-5

  • eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)

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