A note on the duality between interaction responses and mutual positions in flocking and schooling

TL;DR

This paper explores how the relative positions and noise influence animal flocking and schooling behaviors, suggesting that observed interaction rules are a consequence of positional arrangements and movement noise.

Contribution

It introduces a duality framework linking interaction responses to mutual positions and noise, aiding understanding of flocking and schooling dynamics.

Findings

Position-dependent interaction responses explain observed behaviors.

Anisotropic positioning combined with noise accounts for movement responses.

Distinguishes between responses for maintaining and changing group configurations.

Abstract

Background: Recent research in animal behaviour has contributed to determine how alignment, turning responses, and changes of speed mediate flocking and schooling interactions in different animal species. Here, we address specifically the problem of what interaction responses support different nearest neighbour configurations in terms of mutual position and distance. Results: We find that the different interaction rules observed in different animal species may be a simple consequence of the relative positions that individuals assume when they move together, and of the noise inherent with the movement of animals, or associated with tracking inaccuracy. Conclusions: The anisotropic positioning of individuals with respect to their neighbours, in combination with noise, can explain several aspects of the movement responses observed in real animal groups, and should be considered explicitly in future models of flocking and schooling. By making a distinction between interaction responses involved in maintaining a preferred flock configuration, and interaction responses directed at changing it, we provide a frame to discriminate movement interactions that signal directional conflict from those underlying consensual group motion.