CONFLICT RESOLUTION IN INSECT SOCIETIES

CONFLICT RESOLUTION IN INSECT SOCIETIES

Although best known for cooperation, insect societies also manifest many potential conflicts among individuals. These conflicts involve both direct reproduction by individuals and manipulation of the reproduction of colony members. Here we review five major areas of reproductive conflict in insect s...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Annual review of entomology 2006-01, Vol.51 (1), p.581-608
Main Authors: Ratnieks, F.L.W, Wenseleers, T, Foster, K.R
Format: Article
Language:eng
Subjects:
Animal ethology
Animals
Biological and medical sciences
caste determination
Coercion
Conflict, Psychological
Ecosystem
Family
Female
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Hymenoptera
Hymenoptera - classification
Hymenoptera - physiology
insect castes
insect colonies
insect reproduction
insect sociobiology
Insecta
kinship
literature reviews
Male
male rearing
Population
Protozoa. Invertebrata
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
queen rearing
reproductive conflict
sex allocation
Sex Distribution
Social Behavior
social evolution
social insects
worker insects
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Summary:Although best known for cooperation, insect societies also manifest many potential conflicts among individuals. These conflicts involve both direct reproduction by individuals and manipulation of the reproduction of colony members. Here we review five major areas of reproductive conflict in insect societies: (a) sex allocation, (b) queen rearing, (c) male rearing, (d) queen-worker caste fate, and (e) breeding conflicts among totipotent adults. For each area we discuss the basis for conflict (potential conflict), whether conflict is expressed (actual conflict), whose interests prevail (conflict outcome), and the factors that reduce colony-level costs of conflict (conflict resolution), such as factors that cause workers to work rather than to lay eggs. Reproductive conflicts are widespread, sometimes having dramatic effects on the colony. However, three key factors (kinship, coercion, and constraint) typically combine to limit the effects of reproductive conflict and often lead to complete resolution.
ISSN:0066-4170
1545-4487