The Behavior, Ecology and Genetics of Communal Halictine Bees

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9728884 Stephen H. Forbes This research focuses on cooperation among nonrelatives using theory that can be applied to both kin and nonkin based social systems. Based on detailed studies of a single species, Lasioglossum hemichalceum, several key characteristics that define cooperation in groups of nonrelatives have been identified. These include a short life span for foragers, a long period of dependency for offspring, and the need for the continued presence of adults in nests to protect orphaned offspring. These key features result in cooperation to attain "extended parental care". Individuals cooperate in order to obtain future babysitters for their offspring should they die while foraging. The investigators will examine these key characteristics in a carefully chosen set of additional species in order to determine how general the results with a single species may be. This work will be carried out using careful field observations of the factors outlined above and molecular genetic techniques to assess parentage and genetic relationships among group members. Social cooperation is an important feature of animal biology. Most terrestrial ecosystems are dominated by social species. Since the 1970s the study of social insects has provided the basis for a change in the way we view social interactions. In the past, two bodies of theory have focused on how cooperation may have evolved. The first deals with how interactions among relatives may have evolved and the second deals with cooperation among nonrelatives. This research provides the opportunity to find a more general theory of sociality with some potential for broadening our perspective on how social cooperation evolved. \\CLM-06\DEBPOP\POPBIO\ABSTRACT\FORBES.txt