Plowes Nicola J R, Adams Eldridge S
Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269-3043, USA.
Proc Biol Sci. 2005 Sep 7;272(1574):1809-14. doi: 10.1098/rspb.2005.3162.
Lanchester's models of attrition describe casualty rates during battles between groups as functions of the numbers of individuals and their fighting abilities. Originally developed to describe human warfare, Lanchester's square law has been hypothesized to apply broadly to social animals as well, with important consequences for their aggressive behaviour and social structure. According to the square law, the fighting ability of a group is proportional to the square of the number of individuals, but rises only linearly with fighting ability of individuals within the group. By analyzing mortality rates of fire ants (Solenopsis invicta) fighting in different numerical ratios, we provide the first quantitative test of Lanchester's model for a non-human animal. Casualty rates of fire ants were not consistent with the square law; instead, group fighting ability was an approximately linear function of group size. This implies that the relative numbers of casualties incurred by two fighting groups are not strongly affected by relative group sizes and that battles do not disproportionately favour group size over individual prowess.
兰彻斯特损耗模型将群体间战斗中的伤亡率描述为个体数量及其战斗能力的函数。兰彻斯特平方律最初是为描述人类战争而开发的，据推测它也广泛适用于群居动物，这对它们的攻击行为和社会结构具有重要影响。根据平方律，一个群体的战斗能力与个体数量的平方成正比，但仅随群体内个体的战斗能力呈线性增长。通过分析以不同数量比例战斗的火蚁（红火蚁）的死亡率，我们首次对兰彻斯特模型在非人类动物上进行了定量测试。火蚁的伤亡率与平方律不一致；相反，群体战斗能力是群体规模的近似线性函数。这意味着两个战斗群体的相对伤亡数量不会受到相对群体规模的强烈影响，并且战斗不会过度偏袒群体规模而非个体实力。
