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Caste fate conflict in swarm‐founding social Hymenoptera: an inclusive fitness analysis
Author(s) -
Wenseleers T.,
Ratnieks F. L. W.,
Billen J.
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
journal of evolutionary biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.289
H-Index - 128
eISSN - 1420-9101
pISSN - 1010-061X
DOI - 10.1046/j.1420-9101.2003.00574.x
Subject(s) - caste , biology , inclusive fitness , kin selection , hymenoptera , division of labour , ecology , swarm behaviour , productivity , reproduction , demography , zoology , sociology , economics , economic growth , law , political science , market economy
A caste system in which females develop into morphologically distinct queens or workers has evolved independently in ants, wasps and bees. Although such reproductive division of labour may benefit the colony it is also a source of conflict because individual immature females can benefit from developing into a queen in order to gain greater direct reproduction. Here we present a formal inclusive fitness analysis of caste fate conflict appropriate for swarm‐founding social Hymenoptera. Three major conclusions are reached: (1) when caste is self‐determined, many females should selfishly choose to become queens and the resulting depletion of the workforce can substantially reduce colony productivity; (2) greater relatedness among colony members reduces this excess queen production; (3) if workers can prevent excess queen production at low cost by controlled feeding, a transition to nutritional caste determination should occur. These predictions generalize results derived earlier using an allele‐frequency model [ Behav. Ecol. Sociobiol. (2001) 50: 467] and are supported by observed levels of queen production in various taxa, especially stingless bees, where caste can be either individually or nutritionally controlled.