scholarly journals Altruistic bet-hedging and the evolution of cooperation in a Kalahari bird

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (39) ◽  
Author(s):  
Pablo Capilla-Lasheras ◽  
Xavier Harrison ◽  
Emma M. Wood ◽  
Alastair J. Wilson ◽  
Andrew J. Young
Keyword(s):  
Evolution Of Cooperation ◽  
Bet Hedging

scholarly journals Environmental stability and the evolution of cooperative breeding in hornbills

2013 ◽  
Vol 280 (1768) ◽  
pp. 20131297 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juan-Carlos T. Gonzalez ◽  
Ben C. Sheldon ◽  
Joseph A. Tobias
Keyword(s):  
Cooperative Breeding ◽  
Global Analysis ◽  
Climatic Variability ◽  
Global Scale ◽  
Environmental Stability ◽  
Evolution Of Cooperation ◽  
Bet Hedging ◽  
Life History Variation ◽  
Global Pattern ◽  
Climatic Fluctuations

Reproductive cooperation in social animals has been the focus of intensive research, yet the role of environmental factors in promoting such cooperation remains uncertain. A recent global analysis suggested that cooperative breeding in birds is a ‘bet-hedging’ strategy associated with climatic uncertainty, but it is unclear whether this mechanism applies generally or is restricted to the insectivorous passerines that predominate as cooperative breeders at the global scale. Here, we use a phylogenetic framework to assess the effect of climate on the evolution of cooperation in hornbills (Bucerotidae), an avian family characterized by frugivory and carnivory. We show that, in contrast to the global pattern, cooperative reproduction is positively associated with both inter- and intra-annual climatic stability. This reversed relationship implies that hornbills are relatively insensitive to climatic fluctuations, perhaps because of their dietary niche or increased body mass, both of which may remove the need for bet-hedging. We conclude that the relationship between climatic variability and cooperative breeding is inconsistent across taxa, and potentially mediated by life-history variation. These findings help to explain the mixed results of previous studies and highlight the likely shortcomings of global datasets inherently biased towards particular categories.

Life-History Evolution in Uncertain Environments: Bet Hedging in Time

2006 ◽  
Vol 168 (3) ◽  
pp. 398
Author(s):  
Wilbur ◽  
Volker H. W. Rudolf
Keyword(s):  
Life History ◽  
Life History Evolution ◽  
Bet Hedging ◽  
Uncertain Environments ◽  
History Evolution

The Major Transitions in Evolution

1997 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Maynard Smith ◽  
Eors Szathmary
Keyword(s):  
Full Range ◽  
Evolution Of Cooperation ◽  
Major Transitions ◽  
Insect Societies ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Major Transition ◽  
Life Itself ◽  
History Of ◽  
Emergence Of Cooperation ◽  
Multicellular Organisms

Over the history of life there have been several major changes in the way genetic information is organized and transmitted from one generation to the next. These transitions include the origin of life itself, the first eukaryotic cells, reproduction by sexual means, the appearance of multicellular plants and animals, the emergence of cooperation and of animal societies, and the unique language ability of humans. This ambitious book provides the first unified discussion of the full range of these transitions. The authors highlight the similarities between different transitions--between the union of replicating molecules to form chromosomes and of cells to form multicellular organisms, for example--and show how understanding one transition sheds light on others. They trace a common theme throughout the history of evolution: after a major transition some entities lose the ability to replicate independently, becoming able to reproduce only as part of a larger whole. The authors investigate this pattern and why selection between entities at a lower level does not disrupt selection at more complex levels. Their explanation encompasses a compelling theory of the evolution of cooperation at all levels of complexity. Engagingly written and filled with numerous illustrations, this book can be read with enjoyment by anyone with an undergraduate training in biology. It is ideal for advanced discussion groups on evolution and includes accessible discussions of a wide range of topics, from molecular biology and linguistics to insect societies.

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