16-levels of selection Flashcards

1
Q

what old group selection idea did VC Wynne Edwards propose?

A

reproductive self restraint to avoid over exploitation of resources

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2
Q

what ideas demolished ideas of group selection? + give 2 examples

A

inclusive fitness theory

  1. George Williams
  2. RIchard Dawkins “selfish gene” 1976
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3
Q

why are the conditions for old group selection unlikely to be met in nature?

A

selfish nature of selection selecting for selfish behaviour

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4
Q

what is the old group selection model in theory? + what may be considered more powerful?

A

group selection can work if some groups die out faster than others but individuals usually die at faster rate than groups so individual selection more powerful

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5
Q

what must occur for group selection to work?

A

isolated so selfish individuals cant migrate into coop groups

  • predicts selfish groups would go extinct so coop would spread
  • BUT these are unrealistic conditions
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6
Q

give 3 new group selectionists:

A
  • EO Wilson
  • Martin Nowak (leader)
  • David Sloan Wilson
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7
Q

what is the multi level selection concept + by who?

A

Wilson

selection doesnt just operate on genes or individuals but also at the group level

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8
Q

what are the 3 main points for the theoretical argument for multilevel selection?

A
  1. populations are divided into trait groups/demes (less discrete than old group selection models)
  2. selection acts for/ against cooperative traits within groups
  3. groups mix together before splitting into new groups + to next round of selection
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9
Q

when may groups cooperate more and when less?

A

coop: more
selfish: less

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10
Q

what do individuals organise themselves into groups according to?

A

the possession of certain traits

  • cooperators tend to associate with coop individuals + selfish to other selfish individuals
  • coop traits spread when between group selection stronger than within group selection
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11
Q

what 3 things is coop in new groups favoured by?

A
  1. increasing group benefits (b)
  2. reducing individual cost (c)
  3. reducing within group genetic variance relative to between group genetic variance (r)
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12
Q

what are new group selection models mathematically equivalent to?

A

hamilton’s rule for evo of altruism rb > c (inclusive fitness theory)

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13
Q

once individuals are assorted according to traits what is reduced?

A

within group genetic variance relative to population as a whole

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14
Q

if new group selection + inclusive fitness models are mathematically equivalent are they also equally useful? (5)

A

no

  • IFT tells us the quantity which is maximised by NS under all conditions
  • inclusive fitness can be increased individually or by helping kin
  • NS acts on inclusive fitness
  • new group selection models tell us when cooperation might evolve but only under certain narrow conditions
  • new group selection theory has low generality + may work in theory but cannot explain a lot of phenomena
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15
Q

what is the empirical study of the social spider A.studiosus by Pruitt + Goodnight 2014? (9)

A
  • spiders in groups coop to build collective web
  • docile + aggressive phenotypes that are site specific + influence reproductive success
  • mix of phenotypes argued to be group level trait not individual
  • limited dispersal
  • artificial colonies were introduced to diff sites (native or foreign)
  • outcome matched what was expected for mix of social phenotypes
  • site specific selection at group level
  • colonikes aimed to match what was seen in native site
  • suggested group trait locally adapted
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16
Q

why was there scepticism for the empirical study of the social spider A.studiosus by Pruitt + Goodnight 2014? (3)

A
  • individual selection not investigated
  • successful groups could = successful individuals
  • genetic basis of group trait unknown
17
Q

advocates of group selection cite studies such as Gordon et al 2013 ant colony study- what was found (2) + why were results found to be inconsistent with individual level selection? (1)

A
  • ant colonies show collective restraint in foraging that does not affect colony survival
  • a colony’s foraging behaviour may be inherited by daughters colonies
  • IFT should be used as theoretical framework to understand evolution of behaviour rather than group selection models
18
Q

what is v limited in nature?

A

conditions for group selection

19
Q

why can IFT be considered more useful than group models?

A

give us the quantity that NS maximises

20
Q

what do advocates of group selection often appear to have?

A

an agenda of denial

Nowak et al 2010: insufficient empirical evidence for IFT

21
Q

according to Marshall 2011 what is the dominant explanation for the evo of social behaviour + what do other theories suggest?

A

IFT

other theories suggest group selection also responsible

22
Q

according to Marshall 2011 what do some studies are for why group selection could be considered to have?

A

more general framework as IFT cant deal with strong selection

23
Q

according to Marshall 2011 what is hamiltons rule a summary of?

A

the direction of selection based on IF

24
Q

according to Marshall 2011 what can be used to estimate relatedness?

A

pedigree

25
Q

according to Marshall 2011 what is greenbeard altruism?

A

conditionally directing altruism to other bearers of an altruistic trait

26
Q

according to Marshall 2011 what gave rise to hamiltons rule?

A

Inclusive fitness