Ecological factors in social evolution - AfS, WCUB ENWW

的确，进化并不寻求将复杂性最大化，但对我们人类来说，复杂性是随着时间的推移而产生的，这一点也很明显。梅纳德·史密斯（Maynard Smith）和Eörs Száthmary19将自然选择的进化过程带来的复杂性归因于重大转变。当单个复制因子结合形成一个新的更复杂的复制因子时，主要的转变就发生了。从一般意义上说，这包含了非常多样化的现象：从基因到基因组的转变，多细胞生命的进化和真社会群落的形成。人们已经确定了过渡的两个步骤：首先形成一个合作群体，然后通过分工成为一个更有凝聚力的整体。包容适应理论是目前用来描述个体间合作进化的范式。建立社会行为模型的经典方法假设生态和进化的时间尺度是分开的，并且没有显著的相互作用。然而，最近的论述和模型显示了进化和生态之间的重要相互作用14,17,18。该项目旨在从理论上更好地理解生态相互作用对社会进化和重大转变开始的影响。本研究将为拓展我们对合作群体的形成和维持的理解提供基础理论。这有助于BBSRC了解微生物群落及其生长的优先领域。这也影响到粮食安全，因为许多有益和有害的真菌和细菌形成合作群体。

It is true that evolution does not seek to maximise complexity but it also appears evident to us as humans that complexity has arisen over time. This accruement of complexity by the process of evolution by natural selection has been attributed to major transitions by Maynard Smith and Eörs Száthmary19. Major transitions occur when individual replicators combine to form a new more complex replicator. This, stated in its general sense, encompasses very diverse phenomena: the transitions from genes to genome, the evolution of multicellular life and the the formation of eusocial communities. Two steps to a transition have been identified: a cooperative group forms and then becomes a more cohesive whole through the division of labour23. Inclusive fitness theory is the paradigm currently used to describe the evolution of cooperation among individuals. Classical approaches to modelling social behaviours assume ecological and evolutionary time-scales are separate and do not interact significantly6. However recent discourse and models have shown significant interactions between evolution and ecology14,17,18. This project aims to create a better theoretical understanding of the effect of ecological interactions on social evolution and the onset of a major transition.BBSRC Priority AreasThe research undertaking will provide underlying theory for extending our understanding of the formation and maintenance of cooperative groups. This feeds in to BBSRC priority areas for understanding microbial communities and their growth. This also affects food security as many fungi and bacteria both beneficial and maleficial form cooperative groups.