Ebook: Ecology of Social Evolution

Research on the evolution of social behaviour has been dominated by genetic relatedness for a long time; however, both recent empirical studies and theoretical concepts give growing evidence for ecological factors acting as very prominent additional or alternative driving forces in social evolution. Now the time is ripe to investigate similarities and differences in the course of social evolution in different animals. This book brings together renowned researchers working on sociality in different animals. For the first time, they compile the evidence for the importance of ecological factors in the evolution of social life, ranging from invertebrate to vertebrate social systems, and evaluate its importance versus that of relatedness.

Answers are given to important questions such as:

- Which factors favour group living in social invertebrates and vertebrates?

- Are there general differences in the evolutionary forces promoting social life in social insects versus cooperatively breeding vertebrates?

- Why are there only so few eusocial vertebrates?

- Can relatedness within social groups be a by-product arising from the fact that neighbours are generally kin?

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Research on the evolution of social behaviour has been dominated by genetic relatedness for a long time; however, both recent empirical studies and theoretical concepts give growing evidence for ecological factors acting as very prominent additional or alternative driving forces in social evolution. Now the time is ripe to investigate similarities and differences in the course of social evolution in different animals. This book brings together renowned researchers working on sociality in different animals. For the first time, they compile the evidence for the importance of ecological factors in the evolution of social life, ranging from invertebrate to vertebrate social systems, and evaluate its importance versus that of relatedness.

Answers are given to important questions such as:

- Which factors favour group living in social invertebrates and vertebrates?

- Are there general differences in the evolutionary forces promoting social life in social insects versus cooperatively breeding vertebrates?

- Why are there only so few eusocial vertebrates?

- Can relatedness within social groups be a by-product arising from the fact that neighbours are generally kin?

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Research on the evolution of social behaviour has been dominated by genetic relatedness for a long time; however, both recent empirical studies and theoretical concepts give growing evidence for ecological factors acting as very prominent additional or alternative driving forces in social evolution. Now the time is ripe to investigate similarities and differences in the course of social evolution in different animals. This book brings together renowned researchers working on sociality in different animals. For the first time, they compile the evidence for the importance of ecological factors in the evolution of social life, ranging from invertebrate to vertebrate social systems, and evaluate its importance versus that of relatedness.

Answers are given to important questions such as:

- Which factors favour group living in social invertebrates and vertebrates?

- Are there general differences in the evolutionary forces promoting social life in social insects versus cooperatively breeding vertebrates?

- Why are there only so few eusocial vertebrates?

- Can relatedness within social groups be a by-product arising from the fact that neighbours are generally kin?

Content:
Front Matter....Pages i-xii
The Evolution and Ecology of Cooperation – History and Concepts....Pages 1-36
The Ecology of Altruism in a Clonal Insect....Pages 37-56
The Evolutionary Ecology of Eusociality in Australian Gall Thrips: a ‘Model Clades’ Approach....Pages 57-83
The Ecology and Evolution of Helping in Hover Wasps (Hymenoptera: Stenogastrinae)....Pages 85-107
Why are so Many Bees but so Few Digger Wasps Social? The Effect of Provisioning Mode and Helper Efficiency on the Distribution of Sociality Among the Apoidea....Pages 109-127
Social Plasticity: Ecology, Genetics, and the Structure of Ant Societies....Pages 129-150
The Ecology of Social Evolution in Termites....Pages 151-174
Kin-Recognition Mechanisms in Cooperative Breeding Systems: Ecological Causes and Behavioral Consequences of Variation....Pages 175-193
Social Ecology of Horses....Pages 195-206
African Mole-Rats: Eusociality, Relatedness and Ecological Constraints....Pages 207-223
Genetic and Ecological Determinants of Primate Social Systems....Pages 225-243
The Ecology of Social Life: A Synthesis....Pages 245-259
Back Matter....Pages 261-266

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Research on the evolution of social behaviour has been dominated by genetic relatedness for a long time; however, both recent empirical studies and theoretical concepts give growing evidence for ecological factors acting as very prominent additional or alternative driving forces in social evolution. Now the time is ripe to investigate similarities and differences in the course of social evolution in different animals. This book brings together renowned researchers working on sociality in different animals. For the first time, they compile the evidence for the importance of ecological factors in the evolution of social life, ranging from invertebrate to vertebrate social systems, and evaluate its importance versus that of relatedness.

Answers are given to important questions such as:

- Which factors favour group living in social invertebrates and vertebrates?

- Are there general differences in the evolutionary forces promoting social life in social insects versus cooperatively breeding vertebrates?

- Why are there only so few eusocial vertebrates?

- Can relatedness within social groups be a by-product arising from the fact that neighbours are generally kin?

Content:
Front Matter....Pages i-xii
The Evolution and Ecology of Cooperation – History and Concepts....Pages 1-36
The Ecology of Altruism in a Clonal Insect....Pages 37-56
The Evolutionary Ecology of Eusociality in Australian Gall Thrips: a ‘Model Clades’ Approach....Pages 57-83
The Ecology and Evolution of Helping in Hover Wasps (Hymenoptera: Stenogastrinae)....Pages 85-107
Why are so Many Bees but so Few Digger Wasps Social? The Effect of Provisioning Mode and Helper Efficiency on the Distribution of Sociality Among the Apoidea....Pages 109-127
Social Plasticity: Ecology, Genetics, and the Structure of Ant Societies....Pages 129-150
The Ecology of Social Evolution in Termites....Pages 151-174
Kin-Recognition Mechanisms in Cooperative Breeding Systems: Ecological Causes and Behavioral Consequences of Variation....Pages 175-193
Social Ecology of Horses....Pages 195-206
African Mole-Rats: Eusociality, Relatedness and Ecological Constraints....Pages 207-223
Genetic and Ecological Determinants of Primate Social Systems....Pages 225-243
The Ecology of Social Life: A Synthesis....Pages 245-259
Back Matter....Pages 261-266
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