Evolution of Colony Characteristics in Social Insects. II. Number of Reproductive Individuals

Pamilo, Pekka

doi:10.1086/285224

Cited by 185 publications

(160 citation statements)

References 22 publications

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“…The intranest and internest averages of pairwise relatedness ( r ww ) were calculated in GenAlEx using the algorithms of Queller and Goodnight (1989). Based on these results, the effective number of queens ( f ) was calculated following Pamilo (1991). …”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

An Alpine ant’s behavioural polymorphism: monogyny with and without internest aggression inTetramorium alpestre

Krapf

Russo

Arthofer

et al. 2017

Ethology Ecology & Evolution

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Social structure influences animal societies on various levels (e.g., relatedness, behaviour). In ants, both the number of matings per queen and the number of queens per colony can vary strongly. While workers from both monogynous and polygynous colonies often fight fiercely, in supercolonies (an extreme form of polygyny comprising thousands of queens in spatially separated but interconnected nests), non-nestmates interact peacefully. Studies on social and behavioural polymorphism within ant species can help elucidate their influence on genetic diversity and behaviour and the factors triggering variation in social structure and behaviour. Here, we reveal a behavioural and social polymorphism comprising monogyny with and without internest aggression in Tetramorium alpestre sampled in Tyrol, Austria. The social polymorphism is based on genetic and behavioural evidence and contrasts with the supercolonial organisation known from another location in Austria (Carinthia), 150 km away. Microsatellite genotyping using eight polymorphic loci revealed monogyny-monandry and high intranest pairwise relatedness. Interestingly, various experimental one-on-one worker encounters revealed only occasional aggressive behaviour between monogynous colonies, and thus a behavioural polymorphism. Mantel tests revealed a significant negative correlation between spatial distance and relatedness, while worker behaviour was not correlated with relatedness or spatial distance. These results indicate that behaviour might be influenced by other factors – for example, the experience of workers, ecological, chemical, and/or genetic factors not characterised in this study. However, workers distinguished nestmates from non-nestmates also when aggression was lacking. We hypothesise an adaptive value of reduced aggression. We speculate that the non-aggressive and partly aggressive encounters observed represent different options in the social structure of T. alpestre, the non-aggressiveness possibly also promoting supercolony development. The social and behavioural polymorphisms observed offer opportunities to identify the factors triggering these changes and thus further explore the behavioural and social polymorphism of this ant species.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

An Alpine ant’s behavioural polymorphism: monogyny with and without internest aggression inTetramorium alpestre

Krapf

Russo

Arthofer

et al. 2017

Ethology Ecology & Evolution

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“…For species with variation in queen number (polygyny), predictions about worker reproduction are more complicated because both queen number and queenqueen relatedness are important. For these species we estimated r diff from the actual relatedness of workers to queens ( ) and among workers ( ) as r r rp wϪq w Ϫw d i f f , where k is the effective queen mating [1 ϩ G(N Ϫ 1)]/4N e e frequency, N e is the effective number of queens, and G is the relatedness among them (Pamilo 1991). Unless otherwise noted, relatedness values were all estimated using genetic markers.…”

Section: Relatedness Estimatesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…(Ne-1))/4Ne, the mean effective number of queens can be estimated at Ne=1.4. The difference in relatedness between workers' sons and queen's sons rdiff=rw-wm-rw-qm=rw-w/2-(1+G(Ne-1))/4Ne=0.072 (Pamilo 1991). 37 Iwanishi et al 2003;38 Gadau et al 1996;40 Kikuta and Tsuji 1999; Gamergates are single mated, since after mating, the genitals of the male and part of its abdomen remain attached to the female.…”

Section: Note Added In Proofmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…From the formula rw-w=(2+k)/(4kNe), the mean effective number of queens can be estimated at 4.1. Using these parameters, rdiff=rw-wm-rw-qm=rw-w/2-(1+G(Ne-1))/4Ne=-0.014 (Pamilo 1991);47 Schilder et al 1999a Notes with evidence used to infer presence or absence of policing: SWEAT BEES: L. zephyrum. Queens aggress workers with active ovaries and eat worker-laid eggs (Michener and Brothers 1974, also see Batra 1968and Buckle 1982.…”

Section: Note Added In Proofmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Based on microsatellite analysis, however, the mean effective queen number Ne and queen-queen relatedness G across two study populations has been measured at 3.25 and 0.455 (Hannonen et al 2004). This gives a mean rw-w=(3+G(Ne-1)/4Ne=0.31 and rdiff=rw-wm-rw-qm=rw-w/2-(1+G(Ne-1))/4Ne=-0.0008 (Pamilo 1991). Because rdiff was actually slightly greater than zero in one of the study populations and slightly below zero in the other, we considered rdiff to be not significantly different from zero (Hannonen et al 2004;.…”

Section: Note Added In Proofmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Comparative Analysis of Worker Reproduction and Policing in Eusocial Hymenoptera Supports Relatedness Theory

Wenseleers¹,

Ratnieks²

2006

The American Naturalist

205

279

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In many bees, wasps, and ants, workers police each other in order to prevent individual workers from selfishly producing their own male offspring. Although several factors can selectively favor worker policing, genetic relatedness is considered to be of special importance. In particular, kin selection theory predicts that worker policing should be more common in species where workers are more related to the queen's sons than to other workers' sons. Here we provide strong novel support for this theory based on a comparative analysis of policing and male parentage in 109 species of ants, bees, and wasps. First, an analysis of behavioral data confirms that worker policing occurs more frequently in species where workers are more related to the queen's sons than to other workers' sons. Second, an analysis of male parentage shows that a significantly higher percentage of the males are workers' sons in species where the workers are more related to other workers' sons. Both conclusions also hold if data are analyzed using phylogenetically independent contrasts. Although our analysis provides strong overall support for the theory that relatedness affects kin conflict over male parentage, there is also significant residual variation. Several factors that may explain this variation are discussed.Keywords: worker policing, queen policing, worker reproduction, social Hymenoptera, inclusive fitness, kin selection.A major challenge in evolutionary biology is to explain how social groups can reduce or prevent costly conflicts

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Genetic diversity is positively associated with fine‐scale momentary abundance of an invasive ant

Gruber

Hoffmann

Ritchie

et al. 2012

Ecology and Evolution

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Many introduced species become invasive despite genetic bottlenecks that should, in theory, decrease the chances of invasion success. By contrast, population genetic bottlenecks have been hypothesized to increase the invasion success of unicolonial ants by increasing the genetic similarity between descendent populations, thus promoting co-operation. We investigated these alternate hypotheses in the unicolonial yellow crazy ant, Anoplolepis gracilipes, which has invaded Arnhem Land in Australia's Northern Territory. We used momentary abundance as a surrogate measure of invasion success, and investigated the relationship between A. gracilipes genetic diversity and its abundance, and the effect of its abundance on species diversity and community structure. We also investigated whether selected habitat characteristics contributed to differences in A. gracilipes abundance, for which we found no evidence. Our results revealed a significant positive association between A. gracilipes genetic diversity and abundance. Invaded communities were less diverse and differed in structure from uninvaded communities, and these effects were stronger as A. gracilipes abundance increased. These results contradict the hypothesis that genetic bottlenecks may promote unicoloniality. However, our A. gracilipes study population has diverged since its introduction, which may have obscured evidence of the bottleneck that would likely have occurred on arrival. The relative importance of genetic diversity to invasion success may be context dependent, and the role of genetic diversity may be more obvious in the absence of highly favorable novel ecological conditions.

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Evolution of Colony Characteristics in Social Insects. II. Number of Reproductive Individuals

Cited by 185 publications

References 22 publications

An Alpine ant’s behavioural polymorphism: monogyny with and without internest aggression inTetramorium alpestre

An Alpine ant’s behavioural polymorphism: monogyny with and without internest aggression inTetramorium alpestre

Comparative Analysis of Worker Reproduction and Policing in Eusocial Hymenoptera Supports Relatedness Theory

Genetic diversity is positively associated with fine‐scale momentary abundance of an invasive ant

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