The evolution of sociality

为什么一些个体和物种比其他个体和物种更具社会性或合作性？当自然选择被认为有利于自身利益时，合作如何进化？几十年来，进化生物学家对这些问题进行了激烈的辩论。结合使用创新的分子技术，现场和实验室行为实验，以及基因表达的跨物种比较（社会与非社会物种），我和我的学生将提供一个新的视角来研究社会群体中合作与冲突的原因和后果。这项研究将行为、基因和生理学联系起来，从而为社会行为的进化提供了一个更全面、更统一的理论。使用非传统的研究物种，慈鲷鱼将使我能够通过实验解开一些负责合作和群体生活的神经和遗传机制。研究结果将用于开发新的、更完整的合作与冲突进化模型，该模型基于基于潜在社会行为的神经生理学的更现实的假设。我的长期研究目标是拓宽我们对复杂社会行为的理解，并阐明生活史、人口学、遗传学和生理学在其中所起的作用。短期研究的目的是确定1)什么因素影响社会群体中的合作和冲突；2)社会行为的变化如何引发基因表达的差异。该研究项目将为博士后、研究生和本科生提供有价值和市场需求的技能，培训他们在行为学、统计学、生态学、遗传学、生理学和神经生物学方面的方法。通过探索社会经验对两性和统治阶层的影响，结果可能会影响到不同学科的许多研究人员。该研究项目还将促进加拿大、美国和非洲科学家之间的国际知识转移。最后，通过继续在赞比亚和坦噶尼喀湖开展加拿大的科学活动，它将有助于加强加拿大在鱼类、渔业和水生环境研究方面的领导作用。

Why are some individuals and species more social or cooperative than others? How can cooperation evolve when natural selection is thought to favour self interest? Evolutionary biologists have hotly debated these issues for decades. Using a combination of innovative molecular techniques, field and lab behavioural experiments, and cross species comparisons of gene expression (social vs non-social species), my students and I will provide a new perspective on the causes and consequences of cooperation and conflict in social groups. The research links behaviour, genes and physiology and in so doing generates a more comprehensive and unified theory for the evolution of social behaviour. Use of non-traditional study species, cichlid fishes will allow me to experimentally unravel some of the neural and genetic mechanisms responsible for cooperation and group living. Findings will be used to develop new, more integrated evolutionary models of cooperation and conflict, based on more realistic assumptions informed by the neurophysiology underlying social behaviour. My long-term research aim is to broaden our understanding of complex social behaviour, and clarify the roles played by life history, demography, genetics and physiology. The short-term research aims are to determine 1) what factors influence cooperation and conflict in social groups; and 2) how change in social behaviour triggers differential gene expression. The research program will provide postdoctoral fellows, graduates and undergraduate students with valuable and marketable skills, training them in behavioural, statistical, ecological, genetic, physiological and neurobiological methodologies. By exploring the impacts of social experience on both sexes and across dominance ranks, the results are likely to influence many researchers across a diverse set of disciplines. The research program will also facilitate an international transfer of knowledge between Canadian, American and African scientists. Finally, by continuing a Canadian scientific presence in Zambia and Lake Tanganyika it will serve to strengthen Canada's role as a leader in fish, fisheries and aquatic environmental research.