Group size and direct fitness in social queues

The American Naturalist
Gavin Shreeves, J Field

Abstract

We explore the effects of group size on the direct reproductive success of subordinate helpers in eusocial animals where only a single, dominant individual reproduces at one time. Helpers can reproduce directly if they inherit dominance, but when dominance is age based, an individual born into a larger group has a longer wait to inherit. We show that this disincentive to help can potentially be offset by increased productivity, increased life span, and insurance-based benefits for helpers if they survive to inherit dominance in larger groups. We analyze a field experiment in which group size was manipulated in the hover wasp Liostenogaster flavolineata. Productivity increased linearly with group size, larger groups were less likely to fail, and dominants in larger groups may have lived longer. Combined with the probability of inheriting dominance, these effects led overall to a negative correlation between group size and expected direct fitness, mainly because group size decreased during our study period, so that helpers could not expect to inherit as large a group as they started queuing in. Our analysis suggests that the relationship between group size and productivity plays a central role in determining the fitness consequen...Continue Reading

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Citations

Aug 22, 2012·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Alok Bang, Raghavendra Gadagkar
Oct 15, 2010·Biology Letters·Michael P SchwarzSteven J B Cooper
Oct 7, 2009·Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological Sciences·Jeremy Field, Michael A Cant
Mar 13, 2014·Acta Biotheoretica·Hiroshi Toyoizumi, Jeremy Field
Apr 5, 2003·The American Naturalist·Joonghwan Jeon, Jae Chun Choe
Jan 6, 2016·Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological Sciences·António M M Rodrigues, Hanna Kokko
Jan 6, 2016·Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological Sciences·Jeremy Field, Ellouise Leadbeater
Nov 11, 2008·Journal of Theoretical Biology·Hiroshi Toyoizumi
Aug 28, 2007·Behavioural Processes·Jeremy Field, Michael A Cant
Jun 23, 2007·Journal of Evolutionary Biology·K BargumL Sundström
Nov 25, 2011·Journal of Evolutionary Biology·James H Hunt
Nov 20, 2015·Proceedings. Biological Sciences·Arne Jungwirth, Michael Taborsky
Aug 8, 2015·Proceedings. Biological Sciences·Vérane BergerAurélie Cohas
Aug 8, 2006·Current Biology : CB·Ashleigh Griffin
Jul 6, 2014·Trends in Ecology & Evolution·Sjouke A KingmaJan Komdeur
Jan 1, 2014·Journal of Theoretical Biology·Hiroshi Toyoizumi, Jeremy Field
Jun 27, 2006·Journal of Theoretical Biology·Mike Mesterton-GibbonsJeremy Field
Oct 11, 2016·Current Opinion in Insect Science·Amy L TothRobert L Jeanne
May 24, 2016·Scientific Reports·Aline C R AndradeFábio S Nascimento
Mar 24, 2015·PLoS Biology·Xiaoyun LiaoDavid C Queller
May 19, 2018·Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology·Lena Grinsted, Jeremy Field
May 12, 2006·Nature·Jeremy FieldCatherine Bridge
Nov 24, 2004·Proceedings. Biological Sciences·Dik HegMichael Taborsky
Aug 12, 2003·Proceedings. Biological Sciences·Gavin ShreevesJeremy Field
Jan 19, 2002·Proceedings. Biological Sciences·Seirian SumnerJeremy Field
Dec 31, 2019·Ecology Letters·Jeremy Field, Hiroshi Toyoizumi
Mar 19, 2019·Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology·Christelle Couchoux, Jeremy Field
Feb 17, 2021·Nature Ecology & Evolution·P KennedyA N Radford
Mar 9, 2021·Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological Sciences·Philip A DowningCharlie K Cornwallis
Jul 31, 2021·Behavioural Processes·Brett M CulbertSigal Balshine

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