Project description
Social and sexual selection and the evolution of cooperation
Partner choice is instrumental in the evolution and stability of cooperation, but its importance is not yet fully understood in terms of natural systems. The findings of recent research in captive conditions suggest that animals tend to couple with more cooperative individuals. Manipulating cooperation in the wild to examine the consequences of partner choice may shed light on whether partner choice offers an evolutionary explanation for cooperation. The EU-funded COOPERATIVE PARTNER project is based on a long-term study on a highly cooperative bird, the sociable weaver Philetairus socius. The project will use a new conceptual scheme to examine whether cooperation is repeatable and sophisticated technology to manipulate cooperative conduct and assess the resulting patterns of social and sexual partner choice. It will also use physiological standards and lifetime reproductive success to consider the advantages of partner choice.
Objective
Cooperation represents an evolutionary puzzle because natural sCooperation poses an evolutionary problem because natural selection is thought to favour cheaters over co-operators. However, theory and studies in humans show us that co-operators are preferred over cheaters as social and sexual partners. Partner choice may therefore provide a powerful explanation for the evolution and stability of cooperation, alongside kin selection and self-serving benefits, but we lack an understanding of its importance in natural systems. Recent studies showing that animals have a preference for associating with more cooperative individuals are promising but were mostly conducted in artificial captive conditions, making the evolutionary implications of partner choice hard to assess. Manipulating cooperation in the wild to test the fitness consequences of partner choice is the leap that is required to understand whether or not partner choice provides an evolutionary explanation for cooperation. I will pursue this goal using a long-term study that I established on a highly cooperative wild bird, the sociable weaver Philetairus socius. New methodological developments now allow us to conduct large-scale experiments in the wild, and detailed tracking of individual for several years will allow us to quantify the fitness consequences of choice. Specifically, here I will: i) use a new conceptual framework to test whether cooperation is repeatable (a pre-requirement for partner choice); ii) use state-of-the-art technology to manipulate cooperative behaviour and measure the resulting patterns of social and sexual partner choice; iii) use physiological measures and lifetime reproductive success to examine the fitness benefits arising from partner choice and the underlying mechanisms for both co-operators and the individuals that associate with them. Ultimately, the project will provide a novel and robust evaluation of the roles of social and sexual selection for the evolution of cooperation.
Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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H2020-EU.1.1. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - European Research Council (ERC)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
ERC-COG - Consolidator Grant
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) ERC-2019-COG
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
4485-661 Crasto
Portugal
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.