Sex ratios and skew models: the special case of evolution of cooperation in polistine wasps

The American Naturalist
Peter Nonacs

Abstract

Cooperative breeding often involves reproductive dominance hierarchies. Such hierarchies have been proposed to form and to be maintained through an equitable skew in reproduction for both dominants and subordinates. The general form of skew models also predicts that cooperation can be stable only if cooperation greatly increases group reproductive success or subordinates are greatly constrained in their reproductive prospects relative to dominants. Neither, however, seems to be generally present in the colony initiation phase of temperate polistine wasps, although the behaviors of individuals within such groups are often consistent with skew model predictions. This apparent contradiction can be resolved in the context of a special case of the skew models that incorporate mother-offspring conflicts over sex ratios. Data suggest that all the needed preconditions are present for cooperating foundresses to gain an added benefit through producing male-biased investment ratios. Therefore, the special case model predicts that cooperation can evolve in Hymenoptera with both the observed high skews and reduced per capita group productivity. Further predictions of the special case model (e.g., mixed populations of single and multifoundre...Continue Reading

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Citations

Dec 7, 2006·Biology Letters·Aviva E LiebertPhilip T Starks
Jun 16, 2010·Biological Reviews of the Cambridge Philosophical Society·Peter Nonacs, Reinmar Hager
Mar 18, 2006·AWHONN Lifelines·Nancy C Lintner, Bobbe Ann Gray
Feb 20, 2015·Proceedings. Biological Sciences·Karen M KapheimWilliam T Wcislo
Jul 17, 2004·Proceedings. Biological Sciences·Peter NonacsPhilip T Starks
Mar 5, 2003·Proceedings. Biological Sciences·Hanna Kokko

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