The ecology and evolution of sociality in carpenter bees and sweat bees

木蜂和汗蜂的生态学和社会性进化

• 批准号: 222883-2013
• 负责人: Richards, Miriam
• 金额: $ 1.6万
• 依托单位: Brock University
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2014
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2014-01-01 至 2015-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=546671
• 关键词: ecology; evolution; sociality; carpenter; bees

One of the most important puzzles in evolutionary biology concerns the evolution of altruism, a behaviour in which an individual sacrifices its own reproduction in order to help other individuals reproduce. How do the genes underlying altruistic behaviour spread through populations when altruists leave fewer genes to subsequent generations than do the individuals that they help? Usually this conundrum is solved by invoking kin selection, in which altruistic individuals sacrifice personal reproduction, but more than make up for it by raising close relatives which share their genes. However, empirical studies of primitively social bees, those in which females have the potential to behave as altruists or to produce their own offspring, provide evidence that subordinate females frequently pass on fewer genes by behaving altruistically than they would have if they produced their own brood. This suggests that kin selection does not provide a complete explanation for altruistic behaviour. My research proposal will focus on multiple aspects of the social behaviour of carpenter bees (Xylocopa and Ceratina) and sweat bees (Lasioglossum), in which potential helpers have the potential to breed themselves; when they behave as altruists we can then examine the ecological and evolutionary conditions that promote this behaviour. Our research will incorporate field and laboratory techniques, including tracing patterns of maternity within bee colonies using genetic markers. At the broadest level, detailed field studies of behaviour, demography and ecology will uncover the conditions under which individual bees choose to behave altruistically or selfishly, as well as the consequences of these decisions for colony social organisation.

进化生物学中最重要的谜题之一是利他主义的进化，利他主义是一种个体牺牲自己的繁殖来帮助其他个体繁殖的行为。 当利他主义者留给后代的基因比他们帮助的个体少的时候，利他主义行为背后的基因是如何在人群中传播的？通常，这个难题可以通过亲属选择来解决，在这种选择中，利他主义的个体牺牲了个人的繁殖，但通过抚养与他们有相同基因的近亲来弥补。 然而，对具有利他性的社会蜜蜂（雌性蜜蜂有可能表现得像利他主义者或产生自己的后代）的实证研究表明，与产生自己的后代相比，从属的雌性蜜蜂通过利他行为传递的基因往往更少。这表明亲缘选择并不能完全解释利他行为。 我的研究计划将集中在木匠蜜蜂（木蜂和Ceratina）和汗水蜜蜂（Lasioglossum）的社会行为的多个方面，其中潜在的帮手有可能繁殖自己;当他们表现为利他主义者时，我们可以研究促进这种行为的生态和进化条件。 我们的研究将结合实地和实验室技术，包括使用遗传标记追踪蜂群内的母性模式。 在最广泛的层面上，对行为、人口统计学和生态学的详细实地研究将揭示个体蜜蜂选择利他或自私行为的条件，以及这些决定对蜂群社会组织的影响。