Genetic kin recognition and Crozier's Paradox

基因亲属歧视是指动物利用基因线索来确定谁是他们的近亲。基因亲属歧视会使个体成为裙带关系，优先将合作帮助指向更近的亲属。进化论认为，基因上的亲属歧视通常是不可能的，因为没有足够的基因变异来区分亲属和非亲属。经验数据好坏参半。有许多动物使用环境线索来评估相关性的例子，例如“在同一个巢中长大”。与此相反，虽然有一些遗传线索的例子，但它们在自然界中的相对作用仍然不清楚。我们将使用双管齐下的方法来阐明遗传亲缘歧视在自然界中的作用：（1）我们将开发理论来研究遗传亲缘歧视何时可以进化稳定。我们认为以前的理论得出了一个误导性的结论，因为它没有考虑到动物在真实的世界中是如何相互作用的。(2)我们将进行跨物种的比较研究，以解释为什么有些物种使用环境线索来评估相关性，而其他物种则使用遗传线索。

Genetic kin discrimination is when animals use genetic cues to determine who their close relatives are. Genetic kin discrimination would allow individuals to be nepotistic, preferentially directing cooperative help to closer relatives.The extent to which genetic kin discrimination occurs in nature remains controversial. Evolutionary theory says that genetic kin discrimination often won't be possible, because there won't be enough genetic variation to distinguish kin from non-kin. The empirical data is mixed. There are many examples of animals using environmental cues to assess relatedness, such as 'grew up in same nest'. In contrast, while there are some examples of genetic cues, their relative role in nature remains unclear.We will use a two-pronged approach to clarify the role of genetic kin discrimination in the natural world:(1) We will develop theory to examine when genetic kin discrimination can be evolutionarily stable. We suggest that previous theory has come to a misleading conclusion, because it did not allow for how animals interact in the real world.(2) We will carry out an across-species comparative study, to explain why some species use environmental cues to assess relatedness, while others use genetic cues.