QUESTIONS FOR CONSIDERATION IN ANIMAL SOCIAL BEHAVIOR
Evolution
of Social Behavior
-What is the unit of selection described by Wynne-Edwards? Hamilton?
-What is altruism?
Testable
predictions derived from theory
Cooperative Breeding
(Evolution of Helping Behavior)
- Do helpers exist?
- Do helpers enhance breeding success of breeders?
- Do helpers help relatives?
- How is inclusive fitness of helpers affected? (Indirect? Direct?)
Eusociality
-kin selection vs. group selection
Parent-Offspring Conflict
- Under what conditions do the fitness interests of parents and
offspring conflict?
- Infanticide: adaptive vs. pathologic
Sex ratio adjustments
-Predictions for high vs low ranking females (Trivers-Willard vs. Local
Resource Competition)
Mating strategies
-Intra and intersexual tensions