Computer simulations of kin selection

dc.contributor.advisorQueller, David C.en_US
dc.creatorGoodnight, Keith Flewellenen_US
dc.date.accessioned2009-06-04T00:24:25Zen_US
dc.date.available2009-06-04T00:24:25Zen_US
dc.date.issued1993en_US
dc.description.abstractThe theory of kin selection is central to the understanding of social evolution. Recent theoretical work suggests a limitation on the action of kin selection in structured populations. The first such limit involves a specialized population structure, termed "budding viscosity," common to social insects, in which new groups are formed by fission with no individual dispersal. An argument based on the separation of kin selection dynamics into among and within group components suggests that kin selection cannot operate in this structure. However, stochastic computer simulations show that random variation among daughter groups can supply the needed among-groups variation and allow kin selection to proceed. The second limit on kin selection involves simple population viscosity, in which individuals disperse limited distances and so are related to their neighbors. Altruism toward neighbors, favored by kin selection, is opposed by local competition. Computer simulation confirms this limitation and shows that some form of specific kin recognition is required to favor the evolution of altruism by kin selection. All applications of kin selection require a measure of genetic relatedness; a computer program for calculating this statistic from genetic data on natural populations is described.en_US
dc.format.extent305 p.en_US
dc.format.mimetypeapplication/pdfen_US
dc.identifier.callnoThesis Ecol. 1993 Goodnighten_US
dc.identifier.citationGoodnight, Keith Flewellen. "Computer simulations of kin selection." (1993) Diss., Rice University. <a href="https://hdl.handle.net/1911/16624">https://hdl.handle.net/1911/16624</a>.en_US
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/1911/16624en_US
dc.language.isoengen_US
dc.rightsCopyright is held by the author, unless otherwise indicated. Permission to reuse, publish, or reproduce the work beyond the bounds of fair use or other exemptions to copyright law must be obtained from the copyright holder.en_US
dc.subjectZoologyen_US
dc.subjectEcologyen_US
dc.titleComputer simulations of kin selectionen_US
dc.typeThesisen_US
dc.type.materialTexten_US
thesis.degree.departmentEcology and Evolutionary Biologyen_US
thesis.degree.disciplineNatural Sciencesen_US
thesis.degree.grantorRice Universityen_US
thesis.degree.levelDoctoralen_US
thesis.degree.nameDoctor of Philosophyen_US
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