Rodrigues, Antonio M M, Barker, Jessica and Robinson, Elva Joan Hilda orcid.org/0000-0003-4914-9327 (2022) From inter-group conflict to inter-group cooperation: insights from social insects. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences. ISSN 1471-2970
Abstract
Conflict between social groups is widespread, often imposing significant costs across multiple groups. The social insects make an ideal system for investigating inter-group relationships, because their interaction types span the full harming-helping continuum, from aggressive conflict, to mutual tolerance, to cooperation between spatially separate groups. Here we review inter-group conflict in the social insects, and the various means by which they reduce the costs of conflict, including individual or colony- level avoidance, ritualistic behaviours, and even group fusion. At the opposite extreme of the harming- helping continuum, social insect groups may peacefully exchange resources and thus cooperate between groups in a manner rare outside human societies. We discuss the role of population viscosity in favouring inter-group cooperation. We present a model encompassing intra- and inter-group interactions, and local and long-distance dispersal. We show that in this multi-level population structure, the increased likelihood of cooperative partners being kin is balanced by increased kin competition, such that neither cooperation (helping) nor conflict (harming) is favoured. This model provides a baseline context in which other intra- and inter-group processes act, tipping the balance towards or away from conflict. We discuss future directions for research into the ecological factors shaping the evolution of inter-group interactions.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | This is an author-produced version of the published paper. Uploaded in accordance with the publisher’s self-archiving policy. Further copying may not be permitted; contact the publisher for details |
Keywords: | class-structure,inclusive fitness,intergroup conflict,intergroup cooperation,population viscosity,dispersal,local dispersal,movement,patch model,spatial model,social insects,ants,bees,wasps,termites,conflict,cooperation,tolerance |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of York |
Academic Units: | The University of York > Faculty of Sciences (York) > Biology (York) |
Depositing User: | Pure (York) |
Date Deposited: | 26 Jan 2022 09:20 |
Last Modified: | 21 Jan 2025 18:00 |
Published Version: | https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2021.0466 |
Status: | Published |
Refereed: | Yes |
Identification Number: | 10.1098/rstb.2021.0466 |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:182920 |
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