Frequency dependence and cooperation: theory and a test with bacteria.

Journal article

Hamilton's inclusive fitness theory provides a leading explanation for the problem of cooperation. A general result from inclusive fitness theory is that, except under restrictive conditions, cooperation should not be subject to frequency-dependent selection. However, several recent studies in microbial systems have demonstrated that the relative fitness of cheaters, which do not cooperate, is greater when cheaters are rarer. Here we demonstrate theoretically that such frequency-dependent sel...

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Authors: Ross-Gillespie, A; Gardner, A; West, SA; Griffin, A

• Publication status: Published
• Journal: American naturalist
• Volume: 170
• Issue: 3
• Pages: 331-342
• Publication date: 2007-09-01
• DOI: 10.1086/519860
• EISSN: 1537-5323
• ISSN: 0003-0147
• Language: English
• Keywords: Selection, Genetic; Mutation; Iron; Pseudomonas aeruginosa; Models, Biological; Siderophores; Ecosystem