Nontechnical Abstract Proposal Number: 9808809 PIs: Strassmann and Queller The theory of kin selection, which has been supported by numerous studies, predicts that there will be conflicts within social insect colonies, yet they display extraordinary degrees of cooperation. An important possible explanation is that if workers have a collective interest, they may use their greater numbers to win conflicts and suppress other parties, in particular the queen. Strassmann and Queller will test this theory in stingless bees, a large, tropical group closely related to honey bees. Specifically, they will study conflict over male production. Using DNA microsatellite markers to precisely "genetically fingerprint" individuals, they will determine who produces the males (queen or workers) and whether this result indicates that workers do reproduce directly or if worker reproduction is suppressed. They will also perform observations to test theoretical predictions about the degree of behavioral conflict such as overt fighting that occurs in colonies, and contrast the results with similar research done on honey bees. This research is expected to reveal much about the expression and resolution of genetic conflicts within social groups. This is a topic of importance not only for social insects, but also for all other social organisms. It also bears on the coherence of other levels of biological organization, such as multicellular animals and the eukaryotic cells. Finally, the research will also increase basic knowledge of an important group of tropical pollinators.
