Kin Conflict Flashcards
What are the primary objectives of the study of kin conflict?
theoretical framework behind kin conflict with respect to
-relatedness
-recognise the distinction between potential and actual conflict
-describe ecological conditions constraining altruistic vs conflict behaviour
-discuss examples from wild systems observing conflict between family members.
Define Kin conflict
What is it due to?
What does it lead to?
A situation where different parties in a group (e.g., relatives) experience conflict due to differing levels of relatedness to progeny and unequal valuation of progeny, leading to disagreement on reproductive decisions.
In what circumstances is sibling rivalry most likely to occur in insects?
Sibling rivalry is most likely to occur when parental care is absent.
What is Potential Conflict?
What is it predicted by?
A state where kin structure indicates that conflict could arise due to differing fitness optima among related individuals, predicted by kin selection theory.
When does the expression of conflict occur?
when specific ecological variables enable kin selection dynamics to manifest into observable behaviors or interactions.
What is the switch point in the Bombus terrestris life cycle?
when the queen prepares for the next generation’s reproduction by starting to lay either daughter queens or male offspring.
What is Inclusive Fitness?
A measure of the total reproductive success of an individual and its genetic contribution to future generations, factoring in both direct offspring and relatives.
How do parent-offspring conflicts manifest in bumble bee colonies?
Parent-offspring conflicts manifest when workers may lay male eggs which the queen prefers not to have, leading to expressed conflicts such as the queen eating worker-laid eggs.
Define Siblicide
A phenomenon where one sibling kills another to enhance its own survival and reproductive success, often observed in species with limited resources.
What factors influence the expression of parent-parent conflict in Grey Hanuman Langurs?
-seasonality in breeding
-cooperation between individuals
-male tenure lengths
-population density
-resource availability.
Define Altruism
Where does it often occur?
Behavior by an individual that increases another individual’s fitness at a cost to its own, often occurring in kin-related groups.
What factors influence whether potential conflict becomes actual conflict?
-kin discrimination
-maternal hormone effects
-individual fitness strategies
-specific ecological variables within their environment
What is Hamilton’s rule?
a principle that states that altruistic behaviour can evolve if the cost to the altruist is less than the benefit to the recipient multiplied by their degree of relatedness
Define Conflict optima
differing levels of fitness that various parties of kin strive to achieve which may be irreconcilable due to distinct genetic investments
What is the significance of the term ‘inter-birth interval’ (IBI) in the context of parent-parent conflict?
it influences reproductive opportunities following events like infanticide, affecting male and female reproductive strategies and group dynamics.
Define Haplodiploidy
a form of sex determination where fertilized eggs develop into females and unfertilized eggs develop into males, commonly found in some insect species such as bees.
What strategy do grey langurs use regarding infanticide?
Males engage in infanticide to eliminate competitors and increase their reproductive success by siring their own offspring more quickly within a harem.
Define Cooperative Sibling Interaction
occurs when siblings work together, often leading to mutual benefits in terms of resource acquisition and survival.
How can the degree of parental care affect the fitness of competing siblings?
The absence of parental care can lead to increased competition among siblings, as each must fend for themselves, influencing their growth and survival rates.
Define matricide
the act of offspring killing their mother, often seen in certain species where competition for resources leads to extreme behaviors.
What behavior was observed in brown boobies with regard to sibling competition?
In brown boobies, the senior chick often eliminates its younger sibling through aggression and monopolises food, while parents do not intervene.
What are Ecological Drivers of Conflict? What does it influence
external environmental factors such as resource availability, population density, and predation pressure that influence the behaviour and interactions among kin.
Why is kin selection theory important in understanding social behavior?
explains the balance between cooperation and conflict within familial relationships, providing insight into the evolution of social behaviors among various species.
What occurs if different parties in a group are unequally related?
-they have different Hamilton rules
-Different fitness optima
-Inclusive fitness for all members cannot simultaneously be maximised
Altruism and conflict can_______
Kin selection theory sets limits to______
Ecological conditions constrain_____ and ______
coexist
conflict
altruism, conflict
What dictates Potential conflict?
kin structure because of differential fitness optima among parties
What should parental feeding behaviour do?
maximise their inclusive fitness
What should offspring begging do?
maximise their own fitness/ inclusive fitness
What is a source of potential conflict?
disparity between offspring and parental optima
In terms of offspring manipulation, what happens the more chicks beg?
the more the mother responds and feeds them
Low food availability=
low androgen levels, therefore low begging intensity
In larvae, when their is competitive sibling interactions, what occurs?
larvae gain fitness (mass, at the expense of the rival sibling
In larvae, when their is cooperative sibling interactions, what occurs?
cause each other to gain fitness mass
What happens with larvae from contrasting care backgrounds?
they are more competitive, show more rivalry from resources rather than sharing equally
Name an example of Parent-parent conflict
infanticide in Grey Hanuman Langurs in the Aravalli Range
