SoEvoFish · Coral reef fish shape our understanding of social evolution
Horizon 2020 — Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
- Duration
- 2019-08-15 → 2023-03-26
- EU contribution
- €271,733
- Participants
- 2
- Scheme
- MSCA-IF
Lines connect the coordinator with its partners.
Results in brief
Coral reef fish shape our understanding of social evolution
Complex society, where some individuals get to reproduce and others don't, are an evolutionary mystery. It is not clear how genes for cooperation get passed on if individuals do not have offspring themselves. The problem my project aims to address is that most of our knowledge of how complex societies evolve comes from terrestrial animals like birds, mammals and insects. However, there are complex societies in very different organisms, such as coral reef fishes as well. I use clown anemonefishes and emerald coral gobies as model organisms to broaden out understanding. Both species live in groups with strict size hierarchies, where only the largest two fish get to reproduce. So the question is, why do the non-breeders accept their situation? and why do the dominant breeders accept the subordinates to share their space and resources? Understanding how animals evolved to be group living means understanding one of the big transitions in the history of life. This project will also help us understand the close mutualism between coral reef fishes and their anemone or coral hosts better, a relationship that is foundational to coral reef ecosystems. The overall objective of the action was to create a more general framework of social evolution, including all major social, ecological and genetic hypotheses. I aimed to address whether coral reef fish live in groups with relatives, whether there are feedback loops between the fish and the anemone and to identify new fields of research. Overall, the project managed to create a more general view on social evolution, including coral reef fishes as important study organisms. I critically assessed the state of the art of social evolution research in marine fishes and revealed new research directions, I discovered surprising genetic patterns in groups of fishes that help explain the evolution of complex groups in the marine realm, and I illuminated the importance of mutualistic relationships in shaping social systems.
Data: CORDIS, © European Union
Project objective
Complex societies where some individuals forego reproduction, pose an evolutionary conundrum. There have been numerous attempts over past decades to explain why individuals capable of reproduction would give up the chance to propagate their own genes. Yet, there remain debates about the relative importance of various factors in shaping social evolution. Additionally, a clear bias towards the study of terrestrial animals prevents us from viewing the whole picture. The overall objective of the proposed study is to build a more general framework for social evolution in animals, by conducting novel studies of two model coral reef fish systems. Specifically, we will conduct in situ investigations on two species: the clown anemonefish Amphiprion percula (f. Pomacentridae) and the coral goby Paragobiodon xanthosomus (f. Gobiidae). Both species are ideal models as they form groups consisting of a breeding pair and one or several non-breeding subordinates. We will test three hypotheses that explain the social evolution of these species: kin selection, whereby nonbreeders gain fitness benefit by helping close relatives reproduce; ecological and social constraints, whereby non-breeders stay in the group and do not contest for breeding positions because of poor alternative options both outside and inside the group; and synergistic effects, where group augmentation leads to large groups benefiting all members. The project will be conducted at Boston University (BU) and the University of Exeter (UoE), bringing together leading experts of social evolution in fish, Prof Pete Buston, and in mammals and insects, Prof Mike Cant. Thus, the project will promote a two-way transfer of knowledge, and enable us to form a more complete picture of social evolution in the animal kingdom. The proposed work will provide extensive training for the experienced researcher, Dr. Theresa Rueger, and enable her to build on her existing expertise to develop an independent career in research.
Original text from CORDIS.
Participants
- THE UNIVERSITY OF EXETER · ExeterCoordinatorUnited Kingdom
- THE TRUSTEES OF BOSTON UNIVERSITY · BOSTON MAUnited States
Links
Data: CORDIS, © European Union