Some scientists tried to create group selection under laboratory conditions. They divided some insects into subpopulations, then killed off any subpopulation whose numbers got too high, and and “promoted” any subpopulation that kept its numbers low to better conditions. They hoped the insects would evolve to naturally limit their family size in order to keep their subpopulation alive. Instead, the insects became cannibals: they ate other insects’ children so they could have more of their own without the total population going up. In retrospect, this makes perfect sense; an insect with the behavioral program “have many children, and also kill other insects’ children” will have its genes better represented in the next generation than an insect with the program “have few children”.
Why didn’t they try also killing off subpopulations that engaged in cannibalism, and promoting those that didn’t? And what would have most likely happened if they had tried that?
Why didn’t they try also killing off subpopulations that engaged in cannibalism, and promoting those that didn’t? And what would have most likely happened if they had tried that?