Social Evolution in Ants

About this book

Overview of the current state of scientific knowledge about social evolution in ants, which also shows how studies on ants have contributed to an understanding of many fundamental topics in behavioural ecology and evolutionary biology. One of the substantial contributions of this volume is its clear explanation of kin selection theory and sex ratio theory and their applications to social evolution in insects. Working to dispel lingering scepticism about the validity of kin selection, and more broadly, of `selfish gene' theory, the authors argue that these ideas underpin the evolution of both cooperation and conflict within ant societies. Two relatively little known topics in ant social biology are also briefly discussed: life history strategy, and mating systems.

Contents

Preface and Acknowledgments Kin Selection 2 Levels-of-selection Theory, Gene Selectionism, and Insect Societies 3 Kin Selection, Haplodiploidy, and the Evolution of Eusociality in Ants 4 Sex Ratio Theory for the Social Hymenoptera 5 Tests of Sex Ratio Theory in Ants 6 Kin Conflict over Sex Allocation 7 Kin Conflict over Reproduction 8 Evolution and Ecology of Multiple-queen Societies 9 Life History Theory in Ants 10 The Diversity of Life Histories in Ants 11 Mating Biology 12 The Division of Labor References Author Index Subject Index Taxonomic Index

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