ROW: Hierarchical Selection in Insect Societies

正如达尔文本人所认识到的那样，昆虫社会，如蚁群，代表着对一般进化论的关键测试案例。蚂蚁工蚁是不育的，一般来说，它们唯一的繁殖手段是与它们的母亲蚁后在一起。蚂蚁的一个很常见但未被研究的特征是，一个蚁群可以分裂成几个离散的筑巢单元，这一过程称为多头共生。当这种情况发生时，没有女王的殖民地亚单位的工人就会从她的影响中解脱出来，并可以继续以最大限度地提高自己健康的方式行事。因此，研究一夫多妻制，即群体分裂的过程，对于全面理解社会进化是很重要的。一夫多妻最好的研究方法是应用分层选择模型。在这些公式中，进化在几个层次上进行：整个群体；组成群体的不同筑巢单位；以及这些筑巢单位中的个体工蚁和蜂王代表选择层次结构中的各个层次。赫伯斯博士将研究澳大利亚原始蚂蚁物种的群体分化过程，那里的一夫多妻制刚刚开始进化。结合实地研究、不同巢穴成员之间的实验室攻击性分析和生化分析，她将能够确定蜂群何时分裂以及分裂的频率。此外，衡量巢内所有个体的适合度将提供对层次结构中每一层选择的性质的洞察。这是一项关于在妇女研究机会的主持下设立职业发展奖的建议。这可能会对科学领域以及赫伯斯博士自己的职业生涯产生重大的促进作用。

An insect society, such as an ant colony, represents a critical test case for general theories of evolution, as Darwin himself recognized. Ant workers are sterile, and in general their sole means of reproduction resides with their mother queen. A fairly common yet unstudied characteristic of ants is that a colony can split up into several discrete nesting units, a process called polydomy. When this happens, workers in colony subunits without the queen are released from her influence, and can proceed to behave in ways to maximize their own fitness. Thus studying polydomy, the process of colony fractionation, is important to a full understanding of social evolution. Polydomy is best studied by applying hierarchical selection models. In these formulations, evolution proceeds on several levels: the entire colony; different nesting units that comprise the colony; and individual workers and queens within those nesting units represent levels in the selection hierarchy. Dr. Herbers will study the process of colony fractionation among primitive ant species in Australia, where polydomy is just now beginning to evolve. A combination of field studies, laboratory aggression assays between members of different nests, and biochemical analysis will allow her to determine when and how often colonies split up. Furthermore, measuring the fitness of all individuals within nests will provide insight into the nature of selection at each level in the hierarchy. This is a proposal for a Career Advancement Award under the aegis of the Research Opportunities for Women. It is likely to result in a significant enhancement of the scientific field as well as Dr. Herbers' own career.