Population Viscosity Can Promote The Evolution Of Altruistic Sterile Helpers And Eusociality

Main Category: Biology / Biochemistry
Also Included In: Psychology / Psychiatry
Article Date: 13 May 2008 - 1:00 PDT

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Over the last 10 years there has been controversy about whether limited dispersal can be an important factor favoring altruism.

To address this issue we investigated whether limited dispersal can favor the evolution of a caste of sterile workers as they occur in ants and other social insects.

We show that even under the simplest life-history conditions a sterile worker caste (i.e., an extreme case of reproductive altruism) may readily be selected for by limited dispersal and population viscosity.

This has relevant consequences for our understanding of the evolution of altruism, as many social organisms are characterized by limited dispersal and a significant genetic population structure.

Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences

Proceedings B is the Royal Society's flagship biological research journal, dedicated to the rapid publication and broad dissemination of high-quality research papers, reviews and comment and reply papers. The scope of journal is diverse and is especially strong in organismal biology.

www.publishing.royalsociety.org/proceedingsb