(Georgia Institute of Technology, 2011-07-12)
Goodisman, Michael
Biological complexity has increased through a series of major evolutionary transitions. One of the most
recent transitions occurred when individually reproducing organisms came together to form integrated social
groups. The transition to sociality is best exemplified by the social insects, such as ants, social bees, social
wasps, and termites. Social insects have been ranked as ‘among the greatest achievements of organic
evolution’ because of the extraordinary levels of cooperation. In addition, social insects have been extremely
successful ecologically. In this presentation, I will introduce the life history strategies and evolutionary
significance of social insects. I will then discuss aspects of research within my group aimed at understanding
the molecular basis underlying sociality, the nature of selection in social systems, the breeding biology of
social animals, and the process of self-organization in social groups.
(Georgia Institute of Technology, 2007-10-02)
Goodisman, Michael
Social insects, including ants, bees, wasps, and termites, are "among the greatest achievements of evolution". They dominate terrestrial environments and make up a substantial part of the animal biomass. The tremendous success of social insects stems from their ability to effectively manage ecological problems through their complex social systems. In fact, the formation of the remarkable societies displayed by social insects represents one of the major transition points in evolutionary history. This talk provides an overview of the biology of social insects and the development and importance of social insect societies. Includes as discussion of the natural history of important social insects found locally, including fire ants and yellowjackets.