BIOL359 Final: Final Exam Lecture Summary.docx
26 Apr 2013
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Social interactions involve 2 individuals (actor carrying out action & recipient on the receiving end of the behaviour) Altruism & inclusive fitness (altruism was a paradox of darwinism: altruism: select favor traits/behaviors that increase the survival & fitness of an actor"s close relatives, even if there is a decrease in fitness for the actor. Inclusive fitness (2 components): direct fitness + indirect fitness. Direct fitness: individual"s direct contribution to the next generation through reproduction. Indirect fitness: additional reproduction by relatives that results from an actor"s actions (assistance). Additional reproduction = reproduction that would not have been achieved without the assistance provided by the actor. Kin selection: selection for and spread of alleles that increase indirect fitness. Prairie dog alarm calls stimulated badger attacks altruistic trait. If there are kin in the area, prairie dogs gave alarm calls. If there are offspring in the area, prairie dogs gave alarm calls bit more likely than just pure parents: cooperation.
