A geometric approach to the evolution of altruism
Abstract
Fisher’s geometric model provides a powerful tool for making predictions about key properties of Darwinian adaptation. Here, I apply the geometric model to predict differences between the evolution of altruistic versus nonsocial phenotypes. I recover Kimura’s prediction that probability of fixation is greater for mutations of intermediate size, but I find that the effect size that maximises probability of fixation is relatively small in the context of altruism and relatively large in the context of nonsocial phenotypes, and that the overall probability of fixation is lower for altruism and is higher for nonsocial phenotypes. Accordingly, the first selective substitution is expected to be smaller, and to take longer, in the context of the evolution of altruism. These results strengthen the justification for employing streamlined social evolutionary methodologies that assume adaptations are underpinned by many genes of small effect.
Citation
Gardner , A 2024 , ' A geometric approach to the evolution of altruism ' , Journal of Theoretical Biology , vol. 576 , 111653 . https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtbi.2023.111653
Publication
Journal of Theoretical Biology
Status
Peer reviewed
ISSN
0022-5193Type
Journal article
Description
Funding: This work was supported by the Natural Environment Research Council (grant number NE/K009524/1 and the European Research Council (grant number 771387).Collections
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