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Task allocation and partitioning in social insects
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<p>Task allocation and partitioning is the way that tasks are chosen, assigned, subdivided, and coordinated within a colony of social insects. Task allocation and partitioning gives rise to the division of labor often observed in social insect colonies, whereby individuals specialize on different tasks within the colony (e.g., "foragers", "nurses"). <a href="/facts/Communication/EGEkchsT">Communication</a> is closely related to the ability to allocate tasks among individuals within a group. This entry focuses exclusively on <a href="/facts/Social_insects/RrNadVME">social insects</a>. For information on human task allocation and partitioning, see <a href="/facts/Division_of_labour/eA9MVGzB">division of labour</a>, <a href="/facts/Task_analysis/LzaFdGBP">task analysis</a>, and <a href="/facts/Workflow/Ig8zvxF2">workflow</a>. </p>