1.
List and briefly describe the four possible outcomes of interactions among individual organisms. Which of these are not likely to be encountered in nature, which seem difficult to explain, and why?
[Hint ]
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2.
Explain why altruism is a central paradox of Darwinism. Discuss Hamilton's concept of inclusive fitness and explain how this concept resolves the apparent paradox of altruism. Your answer should include Hamilton's rule and a description of the terms and assumption of that equation. Compare and contrast direct and indirect fitness and clearly relate these to the process of kin selection.
[Hint ]
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3.
What evidence suggests that alarm calling in Belding's ground squirrels has a fitness cost? Discuss Sherman's evidence that this behavior has evolved via kin selection (frame your discussion in terms of specific predictions and tests). If self-sacrificing behavior is directed at close relatives and results in indirect fitness gains, is it truly altruistic? Explain why or why not.
[Hint ]
To create paragraphs in your essay response, type <p> at the beginning of the paragraph, and </p> at the end.
4.
Under what conditions is helping at the nest usually found in birds? Why? Discuss Emlen et al.'s evidence that helping at the nest results in inclusive fitness gains for helpers in white-fronted bee eaters. Can you think of other benefits these birds might gain from helping?
[Hint ]
To create paragraphs in your essay response, type <p> at the beginning of the paragraph, and </p> at the end.
5.
Define eusociality and explain why this represents the "epitome of altruism." Explain the haplodiploidy hypothesis for eusociality in hymenopteran insects and discuss the evidence for and against this hypothesis. Be sure your discussion includes specific predictions and tests.
[Hint ]
To create paragraphs in your essay response, type <p> at the beginning of the paragraph, and </p> at the end.
6.
How does sociality in paper wasps differ from that in eusocial hymenopterans? Discuss the costs and benefits of each of the strategies employed by female paper wasps.
[Hint ]
To create paragraphs in your essay response, type <p> at the beginning of the paragraph, and </p> at the end.
7.
Describe the social system in naked mole rats, and discuss the evidence that a combination of inbreeding and ecological factors explain the evolution of eusociality in this species.
[Hint ]
To create paragraphs in your essay response, type <p> at the beginning of the paragraph, and </p> at the end.
8.
Why is parent-offspring conflict expected to be particularly sharp in birds and mammals? Explain the principle of weaning conflict by discussing the costs and benefits of weaning from the perspective of a mother, one of several full siblings, and one of a litter of half-siblings. Discuss the evidence that harassment in white-fronted bee eaters are attempts by fathers to break up the nesting attempts of their sons in order to recruit those sons to help at their own nests.
[Hint ]
To create paragraphs in your essay response, type <p> at the beginning of the paragraph, and </p> at the end.
9.
What is siblicide? Discuss Lougheed and Anderson's evidence that masked booby parents are more tolerant of siblicidal offspring than are blue-footed booby parents. What hypotheses might explain this difference? How would you test them?
[Hint ]
To create paragraphs in your essay response, type <p> at the beginning of the paragraph, and </p> at the end.
10.
Define reciprocal altruism. What kind of cooperation can this process explain, and what conditions are necessary for it to operate? Given those conditions, in what kinds of organisms might we expect to find it? Discuss Wilkinson's evidence that reciprocal altruism explains altruistic feeding behavior in vampire bats. Is reciprocal altruism really altruistic, as altruism is defined in this chapter? Why or why not?
[Hint ]
To create paragraphs in your essay response, type <p> at the beginning of the paragraph, and </p> at the end.
11.
Describe the basic social system in African lions. How do females defend their territories against females from neighboring prides? What kind of behavior is predicted to occur based on reciprocal altruism theory? What kind of behavior is actually observed? Why does this discrepancy exist? How could you test your answer?
[Hint ]
To create paragraphs in your essay response, type <p> at the beginning of the paragraph, and </p> at the end.
