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David Wilson - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Multilevel and kin Selection in a connected world
Nature, 2010Co-Authors: Michael J Wade, Charles J. Goodnight, David Wilson, Doug Taylor, Yaneer Baryam, Marcus A M De Aguiar, Blake C Stacey, Justin Werfel, Guy A Hoelzer, Edmund D BrodieAbstract:Arising from: G. Wild, A. Gardner & S. A. West , 983–986 (2009)10.1038/nature08071 ; Wild, Gardner & West reply Wild et al.1 argue that the evolution of reduced virulence can be understood from the perspective of inclusive fitness, obviating the need to evoke group Selection as a contributing causal factor. Although they acknowledge the mathematical equivalence of the inclusive fitness and Multilevel Selection approaches, they conclude that reduced virulence can be viewed entirely as an individual-level adaptation by the parasite1. Here we show that their model is a well-known special case of the more general theory of Multilevel Selection, and that the cause of reduced virulence resides in the opposition of two processes: within-group and among-group Selection. This distinction is important in light of the current controversy among evolutionary biologists in which some continue to affirm that natural Selection centres only and always at the level of the individual organism or gene, despite mathematical demonstrations that evolutionary dynamics must be described by Selection at various levels in the hierarchy of biological organization.
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convergent cultural evolution and Multilevel Selection reply to comments on janet landa s the bioeconomics of homogenous middleman groups as adaptive units theory and empirical evidence viewed from a group Selection framework
Journal of Bioeconomics, 2009Co-Authors: David WilsonAbstract:The comments on Janet Landa’s (J Bioecon 10(3):259–278, 2008) target article provide a fascinating snapshot of how Multilevel Selection theory is perceived across several disciplines. When we focus on the zone of agreement among the commentators, Landa’s article provides an important example of convergent cultural evolution. When we focus on the zone of disagreement, we find a snapshot of the current status of the group Selection controversy that goes beyond narrow scientific issues and requires a ‘truth and reconciliation’ process to resolve, as discussed in my series of blogs titled “Truth and Reconciliation for Group Selection” (Wilson http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-sloan-wilson/#blogger_bio, 2009) and briefly summarized here.
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Multilevel Selection theory and major evolutionary transitions implications for psychological science
Current Directions in Psychological Science, 2008Co-Authors: David Wilson, Mark Van Vugt, Rick OgormanAbstract:The concept of a group as comparable to a single organism has had a long and turbulent history. Currently, methodological individualism dominates in many areas of psychology and evolution, but natural Selection is now known to operate at multiple levels of the biological hierarchy. When between-group Selection dominates within-group Selection, a major evolutionary transition occurs and the group becomes a new, higher-level organism. It is likely that human evolution represents a major transition, and this has wide-ranging implications for the psychological study of group behavior, cognition, and culture.
Charles J. Goodnight - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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On Multilevel Selection and kin Selection: contextual analysis meets direct fitness.
Evolution, 2012Co-Authors: Charles J. GoodnightAbstract:When Hamilton defined the concept of inclusive fitness, he specifically was looking to define the fitness of an individual in terms of that individual's behavior, and the effects of its’ behavior on other related individuals. Although an intuitively attractive concept, issues of accounting for fitness, and correctly assigning it to the appropriate individual make this approach difficult to implement. The direct fitness approach has been suggested as a means of modeling kin Selection while avoiding these issues. Whereas Hamilton's inclusive fitness approach assigns to the focal individual the fitness effects of its behavior on other related individuals, the direct fitness approach assigns the fitness effects of other actors to the focal individual. Contextual analysis was independently developed as a quantitative genetic approach for measuring Multilevel Selection in natural populations. Although the direct fitness approach and contextual analysis come from very different traditions, both methods rely on the same underlying equation, with the primary difference between the two approaches being that the direct fitness approach uses fitness optimization modeling, whereas with contextual analysis, the same equation is used to solve for the change in fitness associated with a change in phenotype when the population is away from the optimal phenotype.
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Multilevel and kin Selection in a connected world
Nature, 2010Co-Authors: Michael J Wade, Charles J. Goodnight, David Wilson, Doug Taylor, Yaneer Baryam, Marcus A M De Aguiar, Blake C Stacey, Justin Werfel, Guy A Hoelzer, Edmund D BrodieAbstract:Arising from: G. Wild, A. Gardner & S. A. West , 983–986 (2009)10.1038/nature08071 ; Wild, Gardner & West reply Wild et al.1 argue that the evolution of reduced virulence can be understood from the perspective of inclusive fitness, obviating the need to evoke group Selection as a contributing causal factor. Although they acknowledge the mathematical equivalence of the inclusive fitness and Multilevel Selection approaches, they conclude that reduced virulence can be viewed entirely as an individual-level adaptation by the parasite1. Here we show that their model is a well-known special case of the more general theory of Multilevel Selection, and that the cause of reduced virulence resides in the opposition of two processes: within-group and among-group Selection. This distinction is important in light of the current controversy among evolutionary biologists in which some continue to affirm that natural Selection centres only and always at the level of the individual organism or gene, despite mathematical demonstrations that evolutionary dynamics must be described by Selection at various levels in the hierarchy of biological organization.
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Multilevel Selection: the evolution of cooperation in non-kin groups
Population Ecology, 2005Co-Authors: Charles J. GoodnightAbstract:Hamilton’s ( 1964a , 1964b ) landmark papers are rightly recognized as the formal basis for our understanding of the evolution of altruistic traits. However, Hamilton’s equation as he originally expressed it is simplistic. A genetically oriented approach to studying Multilevel Selection can provide insights into how the terminology and assumptions used by Hamilton can be generalized. Using contextual analysis I demonstrated that Hamilton’s rule actually embodies three distinct processes, group Selection, individual Selection, and transmission genetics or heritability. Whether an altruistic trait will evolve depends the balance of all of these factors. The genetical approach, and particularly, contextual analysis provides a means of separating these factors and examining them one at a time. Perhaps the greatest issue with Hamilton’s equation is the interpretation of r . Hamilton ( 1964a ) interpreted this as relatedness. In this paper I show that what Hamilton called relatedness is more generally interpreted as the proportion for variance among groups, and that many processes in addition to relatedness can increase the variance among groups. I also show that the evolution of an altruistic trait is driven by the ratio of the heritability at the group level to the heritability at the individual level. Under some circumstances this ratio can be greater than 1. In this situation altruism can evolve even if Selection favoring selfish behavior is stronger than Selection favoring altruism.
P Bijma - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Multilevel Selection with kin and non kin groups experimental results with japanese quail coturnix japonica
Evolution, 2013Co-Authors: William M Muir, P Bijma, A P SchinckelAbstract:An experiment was conducted comparing Multilevel Selection in Japanese quail for 43 days weight and survival with birds housed in either kin (K) or random (R) groups. Multilevel Selection significantly reduced mortality (6.6% K vs. 8.5% R) and increased weight (1.30 g/MG K vs. 0.13 g/MG R) resulting in response an order of magnitude greater with Kin than Random. Thus, Multilevel Selection was effective in reducing detrimental social interactions, which contributed to improved weight gain. The observed rates of response did not differ significantly from expected, demonstrating that current theory is adequate to explain Multilevel Selection response. Based on estimated genetic parameters, group Selection would always be superior to any other combination of Multilevel Selection. Further, near optimal results could be attained using Multilevel Selection if 20% of the weight was on the group component regardless of group composition. Thus, in nature the conditions for Multilevel Selection to be effective in bringing about social change maybe common. In terms of a sustainability of breeding programs, Multilevel Selection is easy to implement and is expected to give near optimal responses with reduced rates of inbreeding as compared to group Selection, the only requirement is that animals be housed in kin groups.
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Multilevel Selection 4 modeling the relationship of indirect genetic effects and group size
Genetics, 2010Co-Authors: P BijmaAbstract:Indirect genetic effects (IGE) occur when individual trait values depend on genes in others. With IGEs, heritable variance and response to Selection depend on the relationship of IGEs and group size. Here I propose a model for this relationship, which can be implemented in standard restricted maximum likelihood software.
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the joint effects of kin Multilevel Selection and indirect genetic effects on response to genetic Selection
Journal of Evolutionary Biology, 2008Co-Authors: P Bijma, Michael J WadeAbstract:Kin and levels-of-Selection models are common approaches for modelling social evolution. Indirect genetic effect (IGE) models represent a different approach, specifying social effects on trait values rather than fitness. We investigate the joint effect of relatedness, Multilevel Selection and IGEs on response to Selection. We present a measure for the degree of Multilevel Selection, which is the natural partner of relatedness in expressions for response. Response depends on both relatedness and the degree of Multilevel Selection, rather than only one or the other factor. Moreover, response is symmetric in relatedness and the degree of Multilevel Selection, indicating that both factors have exactly the same effect. Without IGEs, the key parameter is the product of relatedness and the degree of Multilevel Selection. With IGEs, however, Multilevel Selection without relatedness can explain evolution of social traits. Thus, next to relatedness and Multilevel Selection, IGEs are a key element in the genetical theory of social evolution.
Jeremy S Brooks - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Applying a cultural Multilevel Selection framework to the adoption of sustainable management practices in California viticulture
Sustainability Science, 2018Co-Authors: Vicken Hillis, Jodi Brandt, Adrian Bell, Jeremy S BrooksAbstract:In light of the ongoing environmental impacts of agriculture, understanding farmer adoption of sustainable management practices (SMPs) is an important priority. Relatively little work in agricultural adoption has explicitly examined the Multilevel dynamics of adoption decision-making. Yet because many SMPs involve cooperative dilemmas—they are individually costly but provide group benefits—understanding the dynamics of both individual and group level behavioral change is critical. In this paper, we argue that cultural evolutionary theory is well suited to examining the emergence and spread of cooperative SMPs, and we illustrate this claim by applying a cultural Multilevel Selection (CMLS) framework to the adoption of SMPs on the part of winegrape growers in California, USA. Using survey data from over 800 winegrape growers in 3 regions, we estimate the individual-level costs and group-level benefits of 44 different SMPs. We then relate this to variation in their adoption within and between winegrape growing regions to characterize the scope for cultural group Selection of the various practices. We also identify a number of mechanisms that might plausibly explain the observed patterns of variation, including various forms of cultural group Selection. We highlight the added value of this perspective with respect to the established approaches and outline the data requirements for researchers to conduct similar studies in other settings. Our results underscore the potential for a cultural evolutionary perspective to shed light on the multiscale mechanisms driving adoption of SMPs and, more generally, the promise of cultural evolutionary approaches to supplement existing analytical toolkits in sustainability science.
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re examining balinese subaks through the lens of cultural Multilevel Selection
Sustainability Science, 2018Co-Authors: Jeremy S Brooks, Victoria Reyesgarcia, William R BurnsideAbstract:Overcoming environmental challenges requires understanding when and why individuals adopt cooperative behaviors, how individual behaviors and interactions among resource users change over time, and how group structure and group dynamics impact behaviors, institutions, and resource conditions. Cultural Multilevel Selection (CMLS) is a theoretical framework derived from theories of cultural evolution and cultural group Selection that emphasizes pressures affecting different levels of social organization as well as conflicts among these levels. As such, CMLS can be useful for understanding many environmental challenges. With this paper, we use evidence from the literature and hypothetical scenarios to show how the framework can be used to understand the emergence and persistence of sustainable social–ecological systems. We apply the framework to the Balinese system of rice production and focus on two important cultural traits (synchronized cropping and the institutions and rituals associated with water management). We use data from the literature that discusses bottom-up (self-organized, complex adaptive system) and top-down explanations for the system and discuss how (1) the emergence of group structure, (2) group-level variation in cropping strategies, institutions, and rituals, and (3) variation in overall yields as a result of different strategies and institutions, could have allowed for the spread of group-beneficial traits and the increasing complexity of the system. We also outline cultural transmission mechanisms that can explain the spread of group-beneficial traits in Bali and describe the kinds of data that would be required to validate the framework in forward-looking studies.
Michael J Wade - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Multilevel and kin Selection in a connected world
Nature, 2010Co-Authors: Michael J Wade, Charles J. Goodnight, David Wilson, Doug Taylor, Yaneer Baryam, Marcus A M De Aguiar, Blake C Stacey, Justin Werfel, Guy A Hoelzer, Edmund D BrodieAbstract:Arising from: G. Wild, A. Gardner & S. A. West , 983–986 (2009)10.1038/nature08071 ; Wild, Gardner & West reply Wild et al.1 argue that the evolution of reduced virulence can be understood from the perspective of inclusive fitness, obviating the need to evoke group Selection as a contributing causal factor. Although they acknowledge the mathematical equivalence of the inclusive fitness and Multilevel Selection approaches, they conclude that reduced virulence can be viewed entirely as an individual-level adaptation by the parasite1. Here we show that their model is a well-known special case of the more general theory of Multilevel Selection, and that the cause of reduced virulence resides in the opposition of two processes: within-group and among-group Selection. This distinction is important in light of the current controversy among evolutionary biologists in which some continue to affirm that natural Selection centres only and always at the level of the individual organism or gene, despite mathematical demonstrations that evolutionary dynamics must be described by Selection at various levels in the hierarchy of biological organization.
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the joint effects of kin Multilevel Selection and indirect genetic effects on response to genetic Selection
Journal of Evolutionary Biology, 2008Co-Authors: P Bijma, Michael J WadeAbstract:Kin and levels-of-Selection models are common approaches for modelling social evolution. Indirect genetic effect (IGE) models represent a different approach, specifying social effects on trait values rather than fitness. We investigate the joint effect of relatedness, Multilevel Selection and IGEs on response to Selection. We present a measure for the degree of Multilevel Selection, which is the natural partner of relatedness in expressions for response. Response depends on both relatedness and the degree of Multilevel Selection, rather than only one or the other factor. Moreover, response is symmetric in relatedness and the degree of Multilevel Selection, indicating that both factors have exactly the same effect. Without IGEs, the key parameter is the product of relatedness and the degree of Multilevel Selection. With IGEs, however, Multilevel Selection without relatedness can explain evolution of social traits. Thus, next to relatedness and Multilevel Selection, IGEs are a key element in the genetical theory of social evolution.