Models of Density‐Dependent Genic Selection and a New Rock‐Paper‐Scissors Social System

We describe new ESS models of density regulation driven by genic selection to explain the cyclical dynamics of a social system that exhibits a rock‐paper‐scissors (RPS) set of three alternative strategies. We tracked changes in morph frequency and fitness ofLacerta viviparaand found conspicuous RPS...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The American naturalist 2007-11, Vol.170 (5), p.663-680
Main Authors: Sinervo, Barry, Heulin, Benoit, Surget‐Groba, Yann, Clobert, Jean, Miles, Donald B., Corl, Ammon, Chaine, Alexis, Davis, Alison
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Age structure
Alleles
Animal and plant ecology
Animal biology
Animal reproduction
Animal, plant and microbial ecology
Animals
Biodiversity
Biological and medical sciences
Biological Evolution
Color
Colors
Density
Endurance
Evolutionary biology
Female
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Game Theory
Gender discrimination
Gene Frequency
General aspects
Genes
Genetic loci
Genetics
Genotype
Genotype & phenotype
Genotypes
Life Sciences
Lizards
Lizards - anatomy & histology
Lizards - genetics
Lizards - physiology
Male
Mating behavior
Models, Genetic
Payoff matrix
Polymorphism, Genetic
Population Density
Population Dynamics
Populations and Evolution
Reptiles & amphibians
Sexual Behavior, Animal
Social Dominance
Vertebrate Zoology
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Summary:We describe new ESS models of density regulation driven by genic selection to explain the cyclical dynamics of a social system that exhibits a rock‐paper‐scissors (RPS) set of three alternative strategies. We tracked changes in morph frequency and fitness ofLacerta viviparaand found conspicuous RPS cycles. Morphs ofUtaandLacertaexhibited parallel survival‐performance trade‐offs. Frequency cycles in both species of lizards are driven by genic selection. InLacerta, frequency of each allele in adult cohorts had significant impacts on juvenile recruitment, similar to mutualistic, altruistic, and antagonistic relations of RPS alleles inUta. We constructed evolutionarily stable strategy (ESS) models in which adults impact juvenile recruitment as a function of self versus nonself color recognition. ESS models suggest that the rapid 4‐year RPS cycles exhibited byLacertaare not possible unless three factors are present: behaviors evolve that discriminate self versus nonself morphs at higher rates than random, self‐ versus non‐self‐recognition contributes to density regulation, and context‐dependent mate choice evolves in females, which choose sire genotypes to enhance progeny survival. We suggest genic selection coupled to density regulation is widespread and thus fundamental to theories of social system evolution as well as theories of population regulation in diverse animal taxa.
ISSN:0003-0147
1537-5323
DOI:10.1086/522092