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Immunity, along with the ability to limit pathogen growth to prevent significant body tissue damage, can be gained either by (1) actively developing an immune response within the individual after exposure to a pathogen or after getting vaccinated or (2) passively transferring immune components from an immune individual to one who is nonimmune. Both these forms of immunity can be found naturally and in medical practices.
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Unconditional versus condition-dependent social immunity.

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Social insects exhibit social immunity against disease. In cooperatively breeding families, helpers may develop conditional social immunity based on inclusive fitness benefits.

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Area of Science:

  • Evolutionary biology
  • Animal behavior
  • Social immunity

Background:

  • Socially living animals use cooperative defenses, termed social immunity, to combat disease.
  • In social insects, workers display unconditional social immunity due to caste separation.
  • Cooperative breeding involves facultative cooperation where individuals may help relatives.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore the concept of social immunity in cooperatively breeding families.
  • To determine if helpers in these families exhibit condition-dependent social immunity.
  • To apply inclusive fitness theory to predict the evolution of social immunity.

Main Methods:

  • Theoretical framework based on inclusive fitness theory.
  • Comparison of social immunity strategies in social insects versus cooperatively breeding families.
  • Analysis of trade-offs between direct and indirect fitness for helpers.

Main Results:

  • Social insect workers show unconditional social immunity.
  • Helpers in cooperatively breeding families face a decision: conditional social immunity or dispersal.
  • Inclusive fitness gains can favor conditional social immunity when indirect benefits outweigh direct costs.

Conclusions:

  • Social immunity strategies vary depending on the social system (eusocial vs. cooperative breeding).
  • Inclusive fitness theory provides a robust framework for understanding conditional social immunity.
  • Helper decisions in cooperative breeding are influenced by the balance of direct and indirect fitness.