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Nova Southeastern University

Group Selection

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Full-Text Articles in Biology

Hypocrisy And Corruption: How Disparities In Power Shape The Evolution Of Social Control, Omar T. Eldakar, J. Oliver Kammeyer, Nikhil Nagabandi, Andrew C. Gallup Jun 2018

Hypocrisy And Corruption: How Disparities In Power Shape The Evolution Of Social Control, Omar T. Eldakar, J. Oliver Kammeyer, Nikhil Nagabandi, Andrew C. Gallup

Biology Faculty Articles

Altruism presents an evolutionary paradox, as altruistic individuals are good for the group yet vulnerable to exploitation by selfish individuals. One mechanism that can effectively curtail selfishness within groups is punishment. Here, we show in an evolutionary game-theoretical model that punishment can effectively evolve and maintain high levels of altruism in the population, yet not all punishment strategies were equally virtuous. Unlike typical models of social evolution, we explicitly altered the extent to which individuals vary in their power over others, such that powerful individuals can more readily punish and escape the punishment of others. Two primary findings emerged. Under …


When Hawks Give Rise To Doves: The Evolution Of Enforcement Strategies, Omar Tonsi Eldakar, W. W. Driscoll, A. C. Gallup Jan 2013

When Hawks Give Rise To Doves: The Evolution Of Enforcement Strategies, Omar Tonsi Eldakar, W. W. Driscoll, A. C. Gallup

Biology Faculty Articles

The question of how altruism can evolve despite its local disadvantage to selfishness has produced a wealth of theoretical and empirical research capturing the attention of scientists across disciplines for decades. One feature that has remained consistent through this outpouring of knowledge has been that researchers have looked to the altruists themselves for mechanisms by which altruism can curtail selfishness. An alternative perspective may be that just as altruists want to limit selfishness in the population, so may the selfish individuals themselves. These alternative perspectives have been most evident in the fairly recent development of enforcement strategies. Punishment can effectively …


Population Structure Influences Sexual Conflict In Wild Populations Of Water Striders., Omar Tonsi Eldakar, Michael J. Dlugos, Galen P. Holt, David Sloan Wilson, John W. Pepper Aug 2010

Population Structure Influences Sexual Conflict In Wild Populations Of Water Striders., Omar Tonsi Eldakar, Michael J. Dlugos, Galen P. Holt, David Sloan Wilson, John W. Pepper

Biology Faculty Articles

In sexual conflict, aggressive males frequently diminish the long-term reproductive success of females in efforts to gain a short-term advantage over rival males. This short-term advantage can selectively favour high-exploitation males. However, just as the over-exploitation of resources can lead to local extinction, the over-exploitation of females in the form of harassment by aggressive males can yield similar consequences resulting in reduced female fecundity, increased female mortality and overall decline in mating activity. This outcome may often be prevented by selection acting at multiple levels of biological organization. Directional selection favouring aggressive exploitation within groups can be balanced by directional …


The Role Of Multilevel Selection In The Evolution Of Sexual Conflict In The Water Strider Aquarius Remigis, Omar Tonsi Eldakar, David Sloan Wilson, Michael J. Dlugos, John W. Pepper Jul 2010

The Role Of Multilevel Selection In The Evolution Of Sexual Conflict In The Water Strider Aquarius Remigis, Omar Tonsi Eldakar, David Sloan Wilson, Michael J. Dlugos, John W. Pepper

Biology Faculty Articles

In evolution, exploitative strategies often create a paradox in which the most successful individual strategy “within” the group is also the most detrimental strategy “for” the group, potentially resulting in extinction. With regard to sexual conflict, the overexploitation of females by harmful males can yield similar consequences. Despite these evolutionary implications, little research has addressed why sexual conflict does not ultimately drive populations to extinction. One possibility is that groups experiencing less sexual conflict are more productive than groups with greater conflict. However, most studies of sexual conflict are conducted in a single isolated group, disregarding the potential for selection …