Social Evolution in Ants

by Bourke, Andrew F. G.; Franks, Nigel R.

• ISBN13: 9780691044279
• ISBN10: 0691044279
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 1995-12-01
• Publisher: Princeton Univ Pr

Summary

Biologists since Darwin have been intrigued and confounded by the complex issues involved in the evolution and ecology of the social behavior of insects. The self-sacrifice of sterile workers in ant colonies has been particularly difficult for evolutionary biologists to explain. In this important new book, Andrew Bourke and Nigel Franks not only present a detailed overview of the current state of scientific knowledge about social evolution in ants, but also show how studies on ants have contributed to an understanding of many fundamental topics in behavioral ecology and evolutionary biology.One of the substantial contributions of Social Evolution in Ants is its clear explanation of kin selection theory and sex ratio theory and their applications to social evolution in insects. Working to dispel lingering skepticism about the validity of kin selection and, more broadly, of "selfish gene" theory, Bourke and Franks show how these ideas underpin the evolution of both cooperation and conflict within ant societies. In addition, using simple algebra, they provide detailed explanations of key mathematical models. Finally, the authors discuss two relatively little-known topics in ant social biology: life history strategy and mating systems.This comprehensive, up-to-date, and well-referenced work will appeal to all researchers in social insect biology and to scholars and students in the fields of entomology, behavioral ecology, and evolution.

Table of Contents

Preface and Acknowledgments	xi
Kin Selection	3	(36)
Introduction	3	(2)
Natural Selection as Gene Selection	5	(5)
The Problem of Altruism	10	(2)
Kin Selection and Hamilton's Rule	12	(12)
Inclusive Fitness	24	(3)
Kin Selection Works at All Gene Frequencies	27	(4)
Gene Expression in Kin Selection Theory	31	(1)
The Gene for Altruism and the Interests of the Rest of the Genome	32	(3)
Parental Manipulation Theory	35	(1)
Conclusion	36	(1)
Summary	37	(2)
Levels-of Selection Theory, Gene Selectionism, and Insect Societies	39	(30)
Introduction	39	(1)
Colony-level, Group, Kin and Gene Selection	39	(11)
Two Examples of Colony-level selection	50	(3)
Levels-of-selection Theory	53	(3)
Gene Selectionism, Levels-of-Selection Theory, the Evolution of Individuality, and Suppression of Within unit Conflict	56	(8)
The Superorganism	64	(2)
Conclusion	66	(1)
Summary	67	(2)
Kin Selection, Haplodiploidy, and the Evolution of Eusociality in Ants	69	(38)
Introduction	69	(1)
Concepts in the Origin and Evolution of Eusociality	70	(3)
The Origin of Eusociality in Ants	73	(1)
The Epigenetic Theory of insect Sociality	74	(3)
The Haplodiploidy Hypothesis	77	(5)
A Critique of the Haplodiploidy Hypothesis (I)	82	(11)
A Critique of the Haplodiploidy Hypothesis (II)	93	(4)
Factors Promoting Worker Evolution via Relatedness and sex Ratio Effects in Haplodiploid Populations	97	(4)
Factors Promoting Worker Evolution in Diploid and Haplodiploid Populations	101	(3)
Conclusion	104	(1)
Summary	104	(3)
Sex Ratio Theory for the Social Hymenoptera	107	(49)
Introduction	107	(1)
Fisher's Sex Ratio Theory	108	(5)
Sex Rations in Social Haplodiploids: Basic Theory	113	(5)
Sex Ratios in Slave-making Ants	118	(1)
Sex Ratios under Multiple Mating	119	(7)
Sex Ratios under Worker Reproduction	126	(10)
Sex Ratios under Polygyny	136	(5)
Sex Ratios when there is Colony Fission, Colony Budding, or Polydomy	141	(4)
Sex Ratio with Local mate Competition	145	(6)
Sex Ratio with Local Resources Competition and Local Resource Enhancement	151	(1)
Conclusion	152	(1)
Summary	152	(4)
Tests of Sex Ratio Theory in Ants	156	(44)
Introduction	156	(1)
Test of the Trivers-Hare Model for Monogynous Species	156	(11)
Sex Ratio Data in Slave-making Ants	167	(3)
Sex Ratio Data in Multiply Mating Species	170	(4)
Sex Ratio Data in Species with Worker Reproduction	174	(1)
Sex Ratio Data in Polygynous Species	175	(10)
Sex Ratio Data in Species with Colony Fission, Colony Budding, or Polydomy	185	(5)
Sex Ratio Data in Species with Local Mate Competition	190	(5)
Sex Ratio Data in Species with Local Resource Competition	195	(1)
Conclusion	195	(1)
Summary	196	(4)
Kin Conflict over sex Allocation	200	(20)
Introduction	200	(1)
Why do Colonies Vary in their Sex Ratios?	200	(8)
Do Queens and Workers Share Control of Sex Allocation?	208	(4)
What are the Mechanisms for Controlling Sex Allocation?	212	(2)
What Tactics could Queens and Workers use in the Sex Ratio Conflict?	214	(2)
What Factors Affect the Outcome of Queen-Worker Sex Ratio Conflict?	216	(1)
Conclusion	217	(1)
Summary	218	(2)
Kin Conflict over Reproduction	220	(38)
Introduction	220	(1)
Basic theory in kin Conflict	221	(2)
Factors Affecting kin Conflict in Social Hymenoptera	223	(4)
Kin Conflict over Male Production	227	(17)
Kin Conflict in Multiple-queen Societies	244	(3)
Other Kinds of Kin Conflict in Ants	247	(7)
Conclusion	254	(1)
Summary	255	(3)
Evolution and Ecology of Multiple-Queen Societies	258	(41)
Introduction	258	(1)
Types of Polygynous Society and their Features	259	(8)
Evolution of Foundress Associations	267	(4)
Evolution of Multicolonial, Secondary Polygyny	271	(11)
Evolution of Unicolonial Polygyny	282	(3)
Evolution of Functional Monogyny, Queen Aggression, and a Stable Reproductive Skew	285	(11)
Conclusion	296	(1)
Summary	296	(3)
Life History Theory in Ants	299	(29)
Introduction	299	(2)
Life History Theory in General and in Social Insects	301	(2)
The Evolution of a Perennial Life Cycle in Ants	303	(6)
Dispersal in Stable Habitats	309	(1)
Trade-offs, Propagule Size, and Modes of Colony-Foundation	310	(5)
Modular Growth	315	(3)
Reaction Norms	318	(1)
Lineage-specific Effects and the Concept of r and k Selection	319	(3)
Special Issues in Social Insect life History Evolution	322	(3)
Conclusion	325	(1)
Summary	326	(2)
The Diversity of life Histories in Ants	328	(37)
Introduction	328	(1)
The Imported Fire Ant, Solenopsis invicta	328	(6)
The Red Ants, Myrmica	334	(7)
The Leptothoracines	341	(10)
The Wood Ants, Formica	351	(3)
The Argentine Ant, Linepithema humile	354	(3)
The Obligately Thelytokous Ant, Pristomyrmex pungens	357	(1)
The Army Ants, Eciton	358	(5)
Conclusion	363	(1)
Summary	363	(2)
Mating Biology	365	(35)
Introduction	365	(1)
Sexual Selection and Ant Sexual Behavior	365	(11)
Sperm Use of Sperm Competition in ants	376	(4)
The Evolution of Multiple Mating in Ant Queens	380	(7)
The Location of Mating: Causes and Consequences	387	(10)
Conclusion	397	(1)
Summary	398	(2)
The Division of Labor	400	(45)
Introduction	400	(1)
The General Significance of a Division of Labor	401	(3)
Temporal Polyethism and a Confusion of Cause and Effect	404	(4)
An Algorithmic Approach to the Division of Labor	408	(13)
The Division of Labor: Empirical Studies	421	(11)
New Approaches: Spatial Patterns and the Division of Labor	432	(7)
Ant Colonies, Adaptive Redundancy, Complexity, and Organizations	439	(2)
Conclusion	441	(1)
Summary	442	(3)
References	445	(66)
Author Index	511	(8)
Subject Index	519	(7)
Taxonomic Index	526