Social evolution: an integrated study of the effects of kinship, communication, productivity and disease

• Forschungsstelle: EU FRP
• Projektnummer: 95.0575
• Projekttitel Englisch: Social evolution: an integrated study of the effects of kinship, communication, productivity and disease

Schlüsselwörter (Englisch)

Social evolution; disease; parasitism

Alternative Projektnummern (Englisch)

EU project number: FMRXCT960072

Forschungsprogramme (Englisch)

EU-programme: 4. Frame Research Programme - 10.1 Stimulation of training and mobility

Kurzbeschreibung (Englisch)

See abstract

Partner und Internationale Organisationen (Englisch)

Coordinator: University of Aarhus (NL)

Abstract (Englisch)

The Zurich lab, together with Aarhus/Copenhagen has been task leader in the topic of social insects and diseases. During the program, the Zurich lab has disseminated its knowledge to all other groups during all meetings and, especially, with the special workshop in Zurich in January 2000. This involved training in special techniques of parasitology, practical guidelines for the study of disease and epidemiological modeling. The Zurich lab has also contributed to the development and implementation of DNA technology in the network by providing training and advice for other DNA-work in other groups. New technological hardware has thereby been evaluated, purchased and disseminated within the network.
Both post-docs hired for the network have in the meantime succeeded to be appointed to University positions: Claudie Doums (research associate, Université de Paris, since 1998); Mark J.F. Brown (lecturer, Trinity Collge, University of Dublin, as from January 2002)
Over the 5 years of study the Zurich lab has been highly productive, publishing some 40 papers with contents related to the issues of the network.
At the same time, the Zurich group has continued to work in his expertise area on the effect of disease on social insects and the role of adaptive immunity. The lab participated actively in the final workshop of the network in Florence. The Zurich post-doc has completed his studies with extending the analysis of parasite effects into the periods of hibernation and colony founding. Major effects were discovered which provides an entirely new look at how hosts and parasites co-evolve in the bumblebee-parasite system. In addition, experimental and behavioral tests to study male strategies in mating were continued to show that males can affect females and prevent further mating. Experiments suggested that linoleic acid acts as the active compound. In addition, using artificial insemination it was discovered that multiple mating imposes an adaptive fitness valley that may help to explain the spotty occurrence of polyandry in social insects. Collaborative studies with the Keele group have continued on questions of the effects of parasitism on chemical communication. Collaboration with the Sheffield lab included microsatellite studies on leaf-cutter ants (A.Hart), and a visit by the leader of the Uppsala lab (P. Pamilo).

Datenbankreferenzen (Englisch)

Swiss Database: Euro-DB of the
State Secretariat for Education and Research
Hallwylstrasse 4
CH-3003 Berne, Switzerland
Tel. [phone]
Swiss Project-Number: 95.0575