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Inclusive Fitness and Kin Selection

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 March 2024

Hannah Rubin
Affiliation:
University of Missouri, Columbia

Summary

The biological world is full of phenomena that seem to run counter to Darwin's insight that natural selection can lead to the appearance of design. For instance, why do organisms in some species divide reproductive labor? The existence of non-reproducing organisms in such 'eusocial' species looks to be at odds with an evolutionary theory which posits traits exist because they help organisms survive and reproduce. What is the evolutionary advantage of an insect being distasteful to its predators? The distastefulness appears designed to deter predators, but can only affect the predator's actions when the insect is eaten; it is hard to see how such a trait could be passed on. This Element will cover the shared foundations of evolutionary explanations for these and other seemingly puzzling phenomena, focusing on the concepts of inclusive fitness and kin selection.
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Inclusive Fitness and Kin Selection
  • Hannah Rubin, University of Missouri, Columbia
  • Online ISBN: 9781009019644
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Inclusive Fitness and Kin Selection
  • Hannah Rubin, University of Missouri, Columbia
  • Online ISBN: 9781009019644
Available formats
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To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

Inclusive Fitness and Kin Selection
  • Hannah Rubin, University of Missouri, Columbia
  • Online ISBN: 9781009019644
Available formats
×