Lecture 16

Question 1

Define social behaviour

What are the two categories?

Answer 1

Interactions with/responses to other individuals of the same species

Categories: cooperative and altruistic

Question 2

Cooperation results in 3 types of selection

Answer 2

Reciprocity
Group selection
Kin selection

Question 3

Describe the tit-for-tat strategy and it’s 3 elements

Answer 3

Strategy of determining what to do according to what one’s partner does

Elements:
Nice (cooperative)
Retaliatory (stop if partner stops)
Forgiving (cooperate even if partner has cheated in the past)

Question 4

What was the conclusion to the predator inspection study where the guppies were manipulated by mirrors and activity was observed?

Quickly describe the results

Answer 4

Guppies were performing the tit-for-tat strategy to decide what they should do

Guppies with parallel mirrors mimicking cooperation travelled closer to the predator than guppies with slanted mirrors that mimicked deflection

Question 5

Explain how the frequency of crow callers increases although they are at higher risk of predation

Answer 5

Crow callers are found in high frequency because when populations split before mating season, the non-callers have low survival while the callers manage to scare off predators and maintain high survival

When the populations mix during mating season the callers are found in higher frequency

Question 6

What was the conclusion to the flower size study where the small flowers were still abundant despite competition with large flowers?

Quickly describe the results

Answer 6

Large individuals in mixed groups did well but small individuals in small groups did better and it maintained variation

Among individuals as size increases the more flowers the plant has
Among groups the increasing sizes have fewer flowers

Question 7

How does inclusive fitness work?

Answer 7

Direct fitness + Indirect fitness = Inclusive fitness

When altruistic behaviour from one individual to a relative holds the potential of passing down their genes as well (bc they are related)

Question 8

What is Hamilton’s Rule?

Answer 8

bR > c

Greater altruism is directed toward more genetically related individuals

Question 9

What was the conclusion to the amoeba fruiting body study where different strains were mixed and aggregation was observed to measure kin selection?

Answer 9

When given the choice, amoebae discriminate bw kin and non-kin and aggregate more w genetically similar individuals