Organization of Insect Societies: From Genome to Sociocomplexity

Jürgen Gadau, Jennifer Fewell

Harvard University Press, Feb 28, 2009 - Science - 617 pages

In this landmark volume, an international group of scientists has synthesized their collective expertise and insight into a newly unified vision of insect societies and what they can reveal about how sociality has arisen as an evolutionary strategy.

Jürgen Gadau and Jennifer Fewell have assembled leading researchers from the fields of molecular biology, evolutionary genetics, neurophysiology, behavioral ecology, and evolutionary theory to reexamine the question of sociality in insects. Recent advances in social complexity theory and the sequencing of the honeybee genome ensure that this book will be valued by anyone working on sociality in insects. At the same time, the theoretical ideas presented will be of broad-ranging significance to those interested in social evolution and complex systems.

Contents

• THREE Aging of Social Insects: 51
• FIVE Control of Termite Caste Differentiation: 105
• and the Importance of Group Benefits: 128
• SEVEN The Evolution of Communal Behavior: 148
• PART TWO Communication: 171
• NINE Adaptations in the Olfactory System: 195
• TEN Fertility Signaling as a General Mechanism: 220
• TWELVE Convergent Evolution of Food Recruitment: 266
• PART THREE Neurogenetic Basis of Social Behavior: 311
• FIFTEEN Sensory Thresholds Learning and: 335
• SEVENTEEN Social Brains and BehaviorPast and Present: 377
• EIGHTEEN Plasticity in the Circadian Clock and: 402
• PART FOUR Theoretical Perspectives: 433
• TWENTY Positive Feedback Convergent Collective Patterns: 460
• TWENTYONE Division of Labor in the Context of Complexity: 483
• Cohesion: 572
• Acknowledgments: 609

About the author

Jürgen Gadau is Assistant Professor of Life Sciences, Arizona State University. Jennifer Fewell is Associate Professor of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, and Co-Director of the Center for Social Dynamics and Complexity.

Bibliographic information

• Title: Organization of Insect Societies: From Genome to Sociocomplexity; Emersion: Emergent Village Resources for Communities of Faith Series
• Editors: Jürgen Gadau, Jennifer Fewell
• Contributor: Edward O. Wilson
• Edition: illustrated
• Publisher: Harvard University Press, 2009
• ISBN: 0674031253, 9780674031258
• Length: 617 pages
• Subjects: Science / Life Sciences / Evolution; Science / Life Sciences / Zoology / Entomology