Bolton, Alan Richard;
(2002)
Genetic structure and reproductive partitioning in a primitively eusocial wasp.
Doctoral thesis (Ph.D), UCL (University College London).
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Abstract
Whenever there is genetic heterogeneity within an animal society, relatedness asymmetries between group members and offspring will arise. As stipulated by kin selection theory (Hamilton, 1964a), these asymmetries may lead to conflicts over reproduction as individuals attempt to maximize their genetic profit. The way in which this conflict is resolved will be reflected in the way that reproduction is partitioned between potential reproductives. Parischnogaster alternata is a small colony (1-10 females) South-East Asian primitively eusocial wasp, so defined because all adult colony members can potentially reproduce. A newly emerged female has a choice between remaining on its natal nest as a helper or of dispersing to nest independently. Polymorphic microsatellite loci were located and used to elucidate genetic structure and reproductive partitioning in 17 P. alternatacolonies. Colonies were genotyped and found to consist of females that were likely to be a mixture of sisters, daughters, mothers and cousins (average with-in colony relatedness = 0.45 ± 0.054 (± standard error)). The production of both female and male offspring was nearly always monopolised by a single dominant female at any one time, although offspring of previous dominants were being reared in a proportion of nests. Subordinate females that remain in their natal colonies obtain indirect fitness benefits by helping to raise offspring to which they are related. Despite skew being uniformly high, there was considerable variation in parameters predicted to affect skew. The results can not be explained by the tug-of-war skew models (Reeve et al., 1998). They could be explained by concession models that consider future breeding benefits (Kokko & Johnstone, 1999; Ragsdale, 1999). However, the results do not constitute a satisfactory test of the concession models. The high skew in P. alternata may result from strong ecological constraints and a relatively high probability that subordinates will eventually inherit the position of dominance.
| Type: | Thesis (Doctoral) |
|---|---|
| Qualification: | Ph.D |
| Title: | Genetic structure and reproductive partitioning in a primitively eusocial wasp |
| Open access status: | An open access version is available from UCL Discovery |
| Language: | English |
| Additional information: | Thesis digitised by ProQuest. |
| Keywords: | Biological sciences; Relatedness asymmetries |
| URI: | https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10100627 |
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