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Monday Seminar: Nov. 6, Jennifer Fewell of ASU on "Self-organization, selection and the evolution of division of labor in social insects"
4pm in Biosciences West (map), Room 301 Host: Anna Dornhaus Dr. Fewell will be available for appointments on Monday, November 6, 2006, beginning mid-morning. For an appointment, please contact Anna Dornhaus at dornhaus@email.arizona.edu specifying the times you are available. |
| Division of labor and specialization are usually thought to be the major benefits of living in close-knit groups, and social insects are the prime examples of that. But how does such division of labor actually arise, and what really are the benefits of it? Jennifer Fewell has collected some of the most thought-provoking data on this: for example, when multiple ant queens unite to found a new nest, they actively prevent themselves from specializing too much. This indicates that specialization may be a by-product of individual differences, not an adaptive strategy; indeed it may be detrimental to fitness in some cases. Dr. Fewell will talk about this and her newest results on division of labor, how it arises by self-organization, and how it is selected, in her talk this upcoming Monday. |
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