Capturing the superorganism: a formal theory of group adaptation.
Adaptation is conventionally regarded as occurring at the level of the individual organism. However, in recent years there has been a revival of interest in the possibility for group adaptations and superorganisms. Here, we provide the first formal theory of group adaptation. In particular: (1) we c...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| פורמט: | Journal article |
| שפה: | English |
| יצא לאור: |
2009
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| _version_ | 1826269693633101824 |
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| author | Gardner, A Grafen, A |
| author_facet | Gardner, A Grafen, A |
| author_sort | Gardner, A |
| collection | OXFORD |
| description | Adaptation is conventionally regarded as occurring at the level of the individual organism. However, in recent years there has been a revival of interest in the possibility for group adaptations and superorganisms. Here, we provide the first formal theory of group adaptation. In particular: (1) we clarify the distinction between group selection and group adaptation, framing the former in terms of gene frequency change and the latter in terms of optimization; (2) we capture the superorganism in the form of a 'group as maximizing agent' analogy that links an optimization program to a model of a group-structured population; (3) we demonstrate that between-group selection can lead to group adaptation, but only in rather special circumstances; (4) we provide formal support for the view that between-group selection is the best definition for 'group selection'; and (5) we reveal that mechanisms of conflict resolution such as policing cannot be regarded as group adaptations. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-06T21:29:06Z |
| format | Journal article |
| id | oxford-uuid:440de812-5b69-467d-ad8a-749696c68b26 |
| institution | University of Oxford |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-06T21:29:06Z |
| publishDate | 2009 |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | oxford-uuid:440de812-5b69-467d-ad8a-749696c68b262022-03-26T14:59:21ZCapturing the superorganism: a formal theory of group adaptation.Journal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_dcae04bcuuid:440de812-5b69-467d-ad8a-749696c68b26EnglishSymplectic Elements at Oxford2009Gardner, AGrafen, AAdaptation is conventionally regarded as occurring at the level of the individual organism. However, in recent years there has been a revival of interest in the possibility for group adaptations and superorganisms. Here, we provide the first formal theory of group adaptation. In particular: (1) we clarify the distinction between group selection and group adaptation, framing the former in terms of gene frequency change and the latter in terms of optimization; (2) we capture the superorganism in the form of a 'group as maximizing agent' analogy that links an optimization program to a model of a group-structured population; (3) we demonstrate that between-group selection can lead to group adaptation, but only in rather special circumstances; (4) we provide formal support for the view that between-group selection is the best definition for 'group selection'; and (5) we reveal that mechanisms of conflict resolution such as policing cannot be regarded as group adaptations. |
| spellingShingle | Gardner, A Grafen, A Capturing the superorganism: a formal theory of group adaptation. |
| title | Capturing the superorganism: a formal theory of group adaptation. |
| title_full | Capturing the superorganism: a formal theory of group adaptation. |
| title_fullStr | Capturing the superorganism: a formal theory of group adaptation. |
| title_full_unstemmed | Capturing the superorganism: a formal theory of group adaptation. |
| title_short | Capturing the superorganism: a formal theory of group adaptation. |
| title_sort | capturing the superorganism a formal theory of group adaptation |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT gardnera capturingthesuperorganismaformaltheoryofgroupadaptation AT grafena capturingthesuperorganismaformaltheoryofgroupadaptation |