II.B Superorganisme of interactieve individuen?

For an understanding of the functioning of social insect communities as homogeneous units, the term “super-organism" may not be constructive. A different notion is needed, which better aceords with reality, and reflects phenomena such as the division of tasks amongst workers, self-organisation. synergy. and even the fylogenetic route to sociaiisation, By way of allemative, the term “tendency communities" therefore is proposed. Tendencies which structure communities as ftmctional reproducing units are discussed and summarily explained.