In particular, understanding of the factors that promote the expression of helping behaviour in cooperatively breeding species remains weak, presumably because of the diverse nature of ecological and demographic drivers that promote sociality. 3 Cant ... M.A. Cooperative breeding is comparatively rare among birds in the mainly temperate and boreal Northern Hemisphere. The cooperative breeding systems of birds have been a fertile testing ground for ideas on the evolution of societies, resulting in some of the most intensive studies of natural populations in ecology (e.g. mutualism, reciprocity) or indirect benefits (e.g. Cooperative breeding, in which more than a pair of conspecifics cooperate to raise young at a single nest or brood, is widespread among vertebrates but highly variable in its geographic distribution. - "PERSPECT IVE The ecology of cooperative breeding behaviour" Figure 1 The expected relationship between group size and productivity (in terms of direct fitness) for cooperatively breeding groups that form due to the two types of grouping benefits under benign (temporal) or high-quality (spatial) (solid lines) and harsh (temporal) or low-quality (spatial) environmental conditions (dashed … Cooperative behaviour has been shown to provide individuals with either direct fitness benefits (e.g. Kin selection theory provides one important explanation for seemingly altruistic helping behaviour by non-breeding subordinates in cooperative breeding animals. Here we test if the distribution of breeding systems reflects a response to latitude by means of a phylogenetic analysis using correlates with geographical range among the corvids (crows, jays, magpies and allied groups). Start studying Behavioural Ecology - Cooperative breeding. Stacey & Koenig 1990). For example, territorial choruses by male lions discourage intruders and are likely to benefit all contributors. Stacey PB, Koenig W (1990) Cooperative breeding in birds: long-term studies of ecology and behaviour. The evolution of cooperation is a persistent problem for evolutionary biologists. Stacey PB, Koenig W (1990) Cooperative breeding in birds: long-term studies of ecology and behaviour. The main aim of behaviour is to increase the survival and reproductive success of individual organisms, so the question arises to what extent is behaviour cooperative, and what alternative theories can be used to understand cooperative behaviour? Kin selection theory provides one important explanation for seemingly altruistic helping behaviour by non-breeding subordinates in cooperative breeding animals. I strongly recommend this book to any biologist interested in behavioral ecology, sociality, or ornithology. Sheng-Feng Shen,* Stephen T. Emlen, Walter D. Koenig and Dustin R. Rubenstein Abstract Ecology is a fundamental driving force for the evolutionary transition from solitary living to breeding cooperatively in groups. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge Google Scholar Stiver KA, Dierkes P, Taborsky M, Balshine S (2004) Dispersal patterns and status change in a co-operatively breeding cichlid Neolamprologus pulcher: evidence from microsatellite analy-ses and behavioural observations. It provides an excellent review of many of the primary cooperative breeding studies of the last two decades, points the way to future research, and touches on some of the more general problems in behavioral ecology. REVIEW: BEHAVIORAL ECOLOGY Breeding Together: Kin Selection and Mutualism in Cooperative Vertebrates Tim Clutton-Brock In cooperatively breeding vertebrates, nonbreeding helpers raise young produced by dominant breeders. helping kin to raise offspring) We study the behavioural ecology of cooperative breeding in the cichlid fish Neolamprologus pulcher/brichardi from Lake Tanganyika. Contributions to cooperative rearing in meerkats. Cooperative breeding, in which more than a pair of conspecifics cooperate to raise young at a single nest or brood, is widespread among vertebrates but highly variable in its geographic distribution. Cooperative behaviour is widespread in nature, and seen in many different organisms, from bacterial cells to primates. Google Scholar. Ecology is a fundamental driving force for the evolutionary transition from solitary living to breeding cooperatively in groups. However, the fact that both benign and harsh, as well as stable and fluctuating, environments can favour the evolution of cooperative breeding behaviour constitutes a paradox of environmental quality and sociality. It is commonly defined as any adaptation that has evolved, at least in part, to increase the reproductive success of the actor's social partners. Ecology is a fundamental driving force for the evolutionary transition from solitary living to breeding cooperatively in groups. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. IDEA AND PERSPECTIVE The ecology of cooperative breeding behaviour Sheng-Feng Shen,1* Stephen T. Emlen,2 Walter D. Koenig2,3 and Dustin R. Rubenstein4,5 Abstract Ecology is a fundamental driving force for the evolutionary transition from solitary living to We also suggest that different types of environmental variation (spatial vs. temporal) select for societies that form because of the different grouping benefits, thus helping to resolve the paradox of why cooperative breeding evolves in such different types of environments.