Open AccessWhen does the good of the group override the advantage of the individual?
Author(s) -
Egbert Giles Leigh
Publication year - 1983
Publication title -
proceedings of the national academy of sciences of the united states of america
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.011
H-Index - 771
eISSN - 1091-6490
pISSN - 0027-8424
DOI - 10.1073/pnas.80.10.2985
Subject(s) - selection (genetic algorithm) , population , group selection , biology , group (periodic table) , variance (accounting) , demography , statistics , mathematics , economics , computer science , sociology , chemistry , accounting , organic chemistry , artificial intelligence
In a system ofN populations ofn reproductive individuals apiece, in which each population has constant variancev 2 and lastsL generations, group selection on a quantitative character has a reasonable chance of overriding selection within populations if (and only if) the populations never exchange migrants, each population is founded by colonists from a single parent population, and the number of populations exceeds the effective number of reproductive individuals per population. If each population derives from a single parent population, then the exchange of a single successful migrant per population perL generations can triple the strength of group selection required to overcome a given selection within populations. If populations exchange no migrants, then the derivation of one in everyN populations from two equally represented parents (while the others all derive from a single parent) doubles the strength of group selection required to prevail. Group selection is accordingly likely to be effective only in certain categories of parasites.