The evolution of sociality in primates. An inclusive fitness approach.

• Applicant: Dr. Markus Port
• Subject Area: Evolution, Anthropology ; Sensory and Behavioural Biology
• Term: from 2014 to 2018
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 269076960

To explain the evolution of sociality and cooperation in human and non-human primates, anthropologists generally rely on verbal models. This traditional approach has recently been criticised for being out-dated and vague, and not well supported by empirical data. Taking an inclusive fitness approach, the present project aims to replace the verbal models currently dominating the field of anthropology by a mathematical theory of primate social evolution. This formal theory will derive clear, testable predictions which will link variation in primate social systems to measurable variation in life-history and ecology. I will start by modelling the transition from an initially solitary lifestyle to sociality, and subsequently examine increasingly more complex societies. I will focus particularly on how competition within and between groups affect the size and stability of primate societies, and the evolution of cooperative behaviours. Moreover, I will provide the first mathematical account for the evolution of female receptive synchrony, and study the consequences of this phenomenon for the evolution of primate (including human) societies. Finally, the present project will also test predictions of the theory developed using comparative data across primates. This project has the great potential to provide the foundation for the next generation of research on primate social evolution, and it aims to link this field more closely with social evolution research in the greater field of evolutionary biology.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants