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BP: Fachverband Biologische Physik
BP 12: Poster 2
BP 12.34: Poster
Dienstag, 6. September 2022, 17:30–19:30, P4
Function of Morphodynamics in Foraging Physarum polycephalum — •Lisa Schick1,2 and Karen Alim1,2 — 1Physics Department and CPA, Technische Universität München — 2Max-Planck-Institut für Dyanmik und Selbstorgansiation, Göttingen
Foraging for nutrients and shelter in an heterogeneous environment is key for the survival of living organisms. Foraging behaviour of animals is generally viewed as optimised for maximal energy uptake per search time by balancing time spent for environmental exploration and food exploitation. Yet, it is unclear which foraging behaviour can be adopted by spatially extended organisms like the unicellular slime mould Physarum polycephalum. What foraging strategy does the large and adaptive network-like morphology allow for? Here, we follow the plasmodial network of P. polycephalum as it adapts its morphology, gradually moving its body mass as it is foraging for food. We evaluate the morphodynamics of the foraging plasmodia by calculating morphology and velocity of the specimen. We identify three different morphological states by network compactness and the density of moving fronts. In order to understand the purpose of the continuous morphological changes, we investigate the energy distribution within the different morphologies. In particular we discuss how the morphological variability allows the organism to adjust its energetic costs during foraging.