According to William Hamilton's theory of inclusive fitness, genes that promote altruism can evolve if those helped are relatives. Why does the theory specify relatives?

What will be an ideal response?


Relatives are genetically related and therefore share some of the same alleles with the individual. If an individual with an allele that promotes altruism helps enough others with same allele, the frequency of that allele will increase, despite the reduced reproductive success of the altruist.

There is the obvious genetic advantage of caring for one's own offspring but in a sexually reproducing diploid species, each offspring typically inherits half its genes from its mother and half from its father. Thus each individual shares only 50 percent of its genes with each of its parents. However, It also shares 50 percent of its genes with any of its siblings. By sacrificing its own reproductive success to help rear its siblings, a sterile worker from a eusocial species promotes copies of its own "self-sacrifice" genes in these close relatives.

Biology & Microbiology

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Indicate whether the statement is true or false

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Although carbon dioxide contains carbon, it is not

considered an “organic” compound because a. it is not found in the earth’s crust. b. it is not present in living cells. c. the carbon atom is not bonded to at least one hydrogen atom. d. the carbons are not in chains or rings. e. it is too small.

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When a cell divides, each daughter cell receives

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The division Basidiomycota includes which of the following types of fungi?

A) truffles B) mushrooms C) baker's yeast D) bread mold E) ringworm

Biology & Microbiology