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APS 323 'Social Insects' course Co-ordinator: Professor F. Ratnieks The estimated 20,000 species of eusocial insects (termites, ants and some bees and wasps) are of great economic and ecological significance. They are also model organisms for studying many fundamental questions in biology. The course is divided into three sections. The first section provides background information on social insect biology. The other two sections focus on two important general questions in biology for which insect societies are excellent model systems, and which are studied in Prof. Ratnieks’ laboratory. 1) Background to social insects. What is eusociality and why study social insects; the behavioural and morphological specializations of individuals (queens, workers, males) to eusocial life; division of labour; colony life cycles; taxonomic diversity of social insects etc. 2) Reproductive conflicts and conflict resolution within insect societies. That is, how the non-clonal kin structure of insect societies leads to conflicts among individuals over reproduction and how these conflicts can be resolved. This section of the course will also introduce students to inclusive fitness theory. 3) How insect societies organize themselves. That is, how adaptive colony-level organization, such as effective foraging, arises from the actions of individual workers. Lectures will be by Prof. Ratnieks, with one or two guest lectures and a video. Lecture Content (download the 2007 Lectures and Handouts, compressed file .rar)
Coursework question 1 Interesting Articles (compressed file .rar)
Update: 22 Feb. 2007 |
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Prof. Francis Ratnieks |
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