LIFESCI 3C03 Chapter Notes - Chapter 5: Evolutionarily Stable Strategy, The Selfish Gene, Gie
6 Feb 2017
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To one survival machine, another survival machine (not its close relative) is part of its environment. O(cid:373)e other sur(cid:448)i(cid:448)al (cid:373)a(cid:272)hi(cid:374)es do (cid:374)ot i(cid:373)pi(cid:374)ge o(cid:374) ea(cid:272)h other(cid:859)s li(cid:448)es (e. g. blackbird and mole, who may interact indirectly in that they both eat worms but otherwise remain contactless) Different species may interact in that they are predators to prey, parasites to hosts, competitors for a scarce resource. Same species survival machines are potential mates (if they are the opposite sex), compete for mates (if they are the same sex), and compete for resources. Animals do not often kill conspecifics they are competing against. Noble tournament, in which one animal eventually backs down. There are both costs and benefits to pugnacity (aggressive behaviour) If you kill one rival, there are still plenty others left, so there is not much point in wasting that effort. The death of one rival may benefit another rival.
