Queen–worker ratio affects reproductive skew in a socially polymorphic ant

Walter, Bartosz; Heınze, Jürgen

doi:10.1002/ece3.1779

Cited by 4 publications

(1 citation statement)

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“…The lack of mtDNA divergence in L. acervorum might therefore speak against a robust genetic basis of the social polymorphism. Furthermore, experimental manipulation of colonies from a low skew population elicited queen antagonism [ 50 ] and high skew [ 53 ], suggesting that queens can adapt their behaviour to environmental changes. It remains unknown whether queens from functionally monogynous populations behave similarly flexibly, have lost their behavioural plasticity, or have a changed threshold for queen fighting.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Phylogeography of social polymorphism in a boreo-montane ant

2016

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BackgroundThe disjunct distribution of several Palearctic species has been widely shaped by the changes in climatic conditions during the Quaternary. The observed genetic differentiation or reproductive isolation between extant populations may be the outcome of their contemporary geographic separation or reproductive incompatibility due to differences in phenotypic traits which have evolved in isolated refugia. In the boreal ant Leptothorax acervorum, colonies from central and peripheral populations differ in social structure: colonies from Central and Northern Europe may contain several equally reproductive queens (facultative polygyny), while in colonies from peripheral populations in Spain only one the most dominant of several queens lays eggs (functional monogyny). By reconstructing the specie’s evolutionary and demographic history in Southwestern Europe we examine whether variation in social organization is associated with restricted gene flow between the two social forms.ResultsWe show that multi-queen colonies from all so far known inner Iberian populations of L. acervorum are functionally monogynous, whereas multi-queen colonies from all Pyrenean populations are polygynous, like those from other previously studied areas in Europe. Our analyses revealed complex spatial-genetic structure, but no association between spatial-genetic structure and social organization in SW-Europe. The population in the western Pyrenees diverged most strongly from other Iberian populations. Moreover, microsatellite data suggest the occurrence of recent bottlenecks in Pyrenean and inner Iberian populations.ConclusionsOur study shows a lack of reproductive isolation between the two social forms in SW-Europe. This in turn suggests that demographic and spatial patterns in genetic variation as well as the distribution of social phenotypes are better explained by co-variation with climatic, ecological, and historical factors. Moreover, we for the first time show the existence of substantial spatial-genetic structure in L. acervorum, suggesting the existence of multiple refugia in SW-Europe, including two extra-Mediterranean refugia in France. While gene flow among inner Iberian refugia may have been larger during the late glacial, extra-Mediterranean refugia in southern France may have contributed to the post-glacial recolonization of W-Europe.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12862-016-0711-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Phylogeography of social polymorphism in a boreo-montane ant

2016

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Tests of reproductive skew theory: a review and prospectus

Olivier,

Higginson

2023

Evol Ecol

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Reproductive skew refers to the unequal partitioning of reproduction by same-sex members of a social group. The concession, restraint and tug-of-war skew models attempt to predict which social and ecological factors influence skew, whilst assuming different power dynamics and making contrasting predictions. The factors underpinning within-species variation in skew remain unclear, despite decades of research. Individuals vary in both the benefit of leaving the group to breed (outside option) and in the contribution they make to group productivity if they stay. Variation is likely among several aspects of individual quality, so that individuals and species may show different associations between the subordinate's outside option and group productivity. Yet, no existing skew models allow for variation in this association, here named the quality-productivity coefficient (QPC). If high subordinate quality is associated with being a good helper, for instance if both help and quality improve with age, the QPC would be positive. If, instead, there is a trade-off or other contrast between breeding ability and helping effect, then the QPC will be negative. Here, we incorporate the QPC and derive new predictions for the concession, restraint and tug-of-war models, that sometimes changed their predictions. We review the empirical tests of the association of skew with relatedness, dominant’s competitive advantage, group productivity and subordinate’s outside option. From 16 studies available to calculate an effect size, relatedness correlated positively with skew; yet overall most of 45 studies reported no association. The association of skew with the outside option was negative or null, fitting the restraint and tug-of-war models. The mostly non-significant effect of group productivity supported the three models. Our review highlights future fruitful avenues for the study of cooperative breeding, especially more work to assess the association between subordinate’s outside option and subordinate’s effect on group productivity.

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Ants – Individual and Social Cognition

Reznikova¹

Field and Laboratory Methods in Animal Cognition

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Queen–worker ratio affects reproductive skew in a socially polymorphic ant

Cited by 4 publications

References 24 publications

Phylogeography of social polymorphism in a boreo-montane ant

Phylogeography of social polymorphism in a boreo-montane ant

Tests of reproductive skew theory: a review and prospectus

Ants – Individual and Social Cognition

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