Evolution of Social Insect Colonies: Sex Allocation and Kin Selection (Oxford Series in Ecology and Evolution) - Softcover

Crozier, Ross H.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0198549423 ISBN 13: 9780198549420

Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA, 1996

Synopsis

Colonial living is characterized by division of labor and finely coordinated organization; however, many events within a colony are the result of conflicts between individuals seeking to maximize their own interests. This interplay of cooperation and conflict has raised many questions in evolutionary biology, especially how cooperative behavior is maintained in the absence of direct reproduction by workers. How, then, is this behavior passed on? Authors Crozier and Pamilo's analyze the genetic basis of the patterns of reproduction and resource allocation found in social insect colonies - bees, wasps, ants, and termites. This comprehensive study has greater depth and insight than any previous work, and is a significant step forward in the fields of social evolution and population genetics.

About this title

Review

It is this complex dynamic between conflict and cooperation that Ross Crozier and Pekka Pamilo consider in this excellent book ... Crozier and Pamilo's book is an excellent resource for those interested in a mathematical approach to kin conflicts and sex-ratio theory. The use of elegant kin-selection models also makes Crozier and Pamilo's book highly suitable for a course on theoretical modelling. (Laurent Keller, University of Luasanne, Nature, Vol. 380, 1996)

Evolution of Social Insect Colonies is the most comprehensive treatment to date of issues of sex allocation and kin selection ... I recommend the book as an introduction for novices, as well as a refresher for veterans in the field. It undoubtedly will provide ample inspiration to research on social insects. (Ulrich G. Mueller, University of Maryland, Science, Vol. 274, November 1996)

the authors give excellent explanations of the predicted responses of colony members using kin-selection based models ... an excellent review of both the theory and field data for sex allocation in social Hymenoptera ... I believe Darwin would be delighted at the current understanding of worker 'altruism', and would place this book highly on his list of 'must reads'. (George Chan, Zoological Society of London, Heredity, 78)

Evolution of Social Insect Colonies concisely presents a diversity of kin-selection models aimed at defining social insect life ... this book should be read by all budding insect sociobiologists, ideally long before they study their first colony or touch their first pipettor. Furthermore, sections of the book provide great tutorials for topics of general interest to evolutionary biologists. (Jay D. Evans, University of Georgia, TREE, vol. 12, no. 6 June 1997)

The book is an excellent review of social evolution and sex allocation theory by two of the masters in the field. ... the book is well written, thorough, and superbly referenced. It should become a standard guide for those working towards improving our understanding of the lives of these most fascinating creatures. (Animal Behaviour, 54, 2)

Synopsis

This book is about the genetics and behaviour of individuals within colonies of social insects - bees, wasps, ants, and termites. Colonial living is characterized by division of labour and finely coordinated organization, by reproductive function being limited to certain individuals, by cooperative brood care, and by the presence of non-reproductive workers. Within a colony, however, may events are the result of conflicts between individuals seeking to maximize their own interests. Crozier and Pamilo's contribution is to analyse the genetic bases of the patterns of reproduction and resource allocation found in social insect colonies. This is done more comprehensively and with greater depth and insight than in any previous study, and is a significant step forward in the fields of population genetics and social evolution.

Edition details

• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
• Publication date: 1996
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0198549423
• ISBN 13: 9780198549420
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 316