Current indirect fitness and future direct fitness are not incompatible

Brahma, A and Mandal, S and Gadagkar, R (2018) Current indirect fitness and future direct fitness are not incompatible. In: Biology Letters, 14 (2). p. 20170592.

Preview	PDF (Brahma, A., Mandal, S. and Gadagkar, R. 2018. Current indirect fitness and future direct fitness are not incompatible. Biology Letters 14:2. https://doi.org/10/1098/rsbl.2017.0592) Brahma et al 2018-Biol Lett.pdf - Published Version Download (321kB) | Preview
	Other (Supporting Information to Brahma, A., Mandal, S. and Gadagkar, R. 2018. Current indirect fitness and future direct fitness are not incompatible. Biology Letters 14:2. https://doi.org/10/1098/rsbl.2017.0592) Brahma et al 2018-Biol Lett (Supporting Information 2).xlsx - Published Supplemental Material Download (20kB)
	Other (Supporting Information to Brahma, A., Mandal, S. and Gadagkar, R. 2018. Current indirect fitness and future direct fitness are not incompatible. Biology Letters 14:2. https://doi.org/10/1098/rsbl.2017.0592) Brahma et al 2018-Biol Lett (Supporting Information 1).docx - Published Supplemental Material Download (252kB)

Abstract

In primitively eusocial insects, many individuals function as workers despite being capable of independent reproduction. Such altruistic behaviour is usually explained by the argument that workers gain indirect fitness by helping close genetic relatives. The focus on indirect fitness has left open the question of whether workers are also capable of getting direct fitness in the future in spite of working towards indirect fitness in the present. To investigate this question, we recorded behavioural profiles of all wasps on six naturally occurring nests of Ropalidia marginata, and then isolated all wasps in individual plastic boxes, giving them an opportunity to initiate nests and lay eggs. We found that 41% of the wasps successfully did so. Compared to those that failed to initiate nests, those that did were significantly younger, had significantly higher frequency of self-feeding behaviour on their parent nests but were not different in the levels of work performed in the parent nests. Thus ageing and poor feeding, rather than working for their colonies, constrain individuals for future independent reproduction. Hence, future direct fitness and present work towards gaining indirect fitness are not incompatible, making it easier for worker behaviour to be selected by kin selection or multilevel selection.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Publication:	Biology Letters
Publisher:	The Royal Society
Additional Information:	Copyright to this article belongs to Royal Society Publishing
Keywords:	Social behaviour, Direct fitness, Indirect fitness, Reproductive potential, Primitively eusocial wasp, Ropalidia marginata
Department/Centre:	Division of Biological Sciences > Centre for Ecological Sciences
Date Deposited:	15 Mar 2021 10:39
Last Modified:	15 Mar 2021 10:39
URI:	http://eprints.iisc.ac.in/id/eprint/67658

Actions (login required)

View Item