Although cooperative systems can persist in nature despite the potential for exploitation by
noncooperators, it is often observed that small changes in population demography can tip …

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 …

Repression of competition (RC) within social groups has been suggested as a key
mechanism driving the evolution of cooperation, because it aligns the individual's proximate …

Numerous theoretical studies have investigated how limited dispersal may provide an
explanation for the evolution of cooperation, by leading to interactions between relatives …

Microbes often form densely populated communities, which favor competitive and
cooperative interactions. Cooperation among bacteria often occurs through the production of …

Cooperation underlies diverse phenomena including the origins of multicellular life, human
behaviour in economic markets and the mechanisms by which pathogenic bacteria cause …

Cooperative behaviors provide a collective benefit, but are considered costly for the
individual. Here, we report that these costs vary dramatically in different contexts and have …

Public goods cooperation abounds in nature, occurring in organisms ranging from bacteria
to humans. Although previous research focused on the behavioral and ecological conditions …

Cooperation in nature is ubiquitous, but is susceptible to social cheats who pay little or no
cost of cooperation yet reap the benefits. The effect such cheats have on reducing …

Bacterial cooperation can be disrupted by non-producers that can profit from public goods
without paying their production cost. A cheater can increase in frequency, exhausting the …