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Evolution of restraint in a structured rock-paper-scissors community
Joshua R Nahum1, Brittany N Harding, Benjamin Kerr
1Department of Biology and BEACON Center for Study of Evolution in Action, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA.
Summary
Altruistic restraint, where individuals conserve resources for the group, can evolve through natural selection. Limited dispersal and negative feedback in ecological communities promote the evolution of this costly, yet beneficial, behavior.
Area of Science:
- Evolutionary biology
- Ecology
- Behavioral science
Background:
- Altruism, costly behavior benefiting others, poses an evolutionary puzzle.
- Individuals not contributing socially gain a selective advantage if benefits are equal.
- Restrained resource consumption is altruistic, incurring costs for potential group benefits.
Purpose of the Study:
- Investigate the evolution of restraint (altruism) in ecological communities.
- Determine conditions under which costly altruistic behavior can be favored by natural selection.
- Explore the role of limited dispersal and negative feedback in promoting restraint.
Main Methods:
- Computer simulations of competitor communities.
- Evolution experiments using a nontransitive community of Escherichia coli.
- Analysis of interactions within a rock-paper-scissors dynamic.
Main Results:
- Restrained growth evolved under conditions of limited dispersal.
- Negative feedback inherent in nontransitive relationships was crucial.
- Limited dispersal facilitated interactions among altruistic individuals.
Conclusions:
- Ecological conditions, specifically limited dispersal and negative feedback, are sufficient for the evolution of altruism.
- Restraint can evolve when individuals interact with like types, mitigating the costs of altruism.
- This study provides insight into the evolutionary pathways of cooperation and altruism.
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