Group augmentation and the evolution of cooperation

Kingma, Sjouke A.; Santema, Peter; Taborsky, Michael; Komdeur, Jan (2014). Group augmentation and the evolution of cooperation. Trends in ecology & evolution, 29(8), pp. 476-484. Elsevier Current Trends 10.1016/j.tree.2014.05.013

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The group augmentation (GA) hypothesis states that if helpers in cooperatively breeding animals raise the reproductive success of the group, the benefits of living in a resulting larger group – improved survival or future reproductive success – favour the evolution of seemingly altruistic helping behaviour. The applicability of the GA hypothesis remains debatable, however, partly owing to the lack of a clear conceptual framework and a shortage of appropriate empirical studies. We conceptualise here the GA hypothesis and illustrate that benefits of GA can accrue via different evolutionary mechanisms that relate closely to well-supported general concepts of group living and cooperation. These benefits reflect several plausible explanations for the evolutionary maintenance of helping behaviour in cooperatively breeding animals.

Item Type:

Journal Article (Original Article)

Division/Institute:

08 Faculty of Science > Department of Biology > Institute of Ecology and Evolution (IEE) > Behavioural Ecology

UniBE Contributor:

Taborsky, Michael

Subjects:

500 Science > 590 Animals (Zoology)

ISSN:

0169-5347

Publisher:

Elsevier Current Trends

Language:

English

Submitter:

Karin Schneeberger

Date Deposited:

14 Feb 2017 10:32

Last Modified:

05 Dec 2022 15:00

Publisher DOI:

10.1016/j.tree.2014.05.013

PubMed ID:

24996259

BORIS DOI:

10.7892/boris.91490

URI:

https://boris.unibe.ch/id/eprint/91490

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