Conclusion
We have shown that protein limitation scales up to limit the size of
both organisms and superorganisms. The selective benefits of size, such
as task efficiency, longevity, and metabolic efficiency, also trade-off
with physiological resource storage. These factors are predicted to
select for tuning of dietary preferences, and we found evidence of
dietary preference – and ants appear to make decisions on the diet by
assessing multiple ingredients independently. The mechanisms by which
superorganisms integrate nutritional information and translate nutrition
into growth decisions, including feedbacks, are only beginning to be
elucidated.