Stigmergy

Stigmergy is a cooperation process where individuals coordinate actions indirectly through the environment. Instead of direct communication, each action leaves a trace or change—like a trail of breadcrumbs—that influences subsequent actions. This mechanism enables complex, organized behavior in groups such as ants building nests or termites constructing mounds. Each participant responds to environmental cues created by others, allowing decentralized, adaptive organization without central control. Essentially, stigmergy is a way for systems to self-organize by leaving environmental markers that guide future activity, facilitating efficient collective behavior in nature and in artificial systems.