Microbes are not bound by sociobiology: Response to Kümmerli and Ross-Gillespie (2013)

• Published in: Evolution Vol. 68; no. 11; pp. 3344 - 3355
• Main Authors: Rainey, Paul B., Desprat, Nicolas, Driscoll, William W., Zhang, Xue-Xian
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.11.2014; Society for the Study of Evolution; Oxford University Press
• Subjects: Alternate hypothesis; Animal behavior; Biological Evolution; Ecological genetics; Ecology; Evolution; falsifiable data; Gram-negative bacteria; Hypotheses; Iron; Microbiology; Microorganisms; Oligopeptides - biosynthesis; Pseudomonas; Pseudomonas - genetics; Pseudomonas - metabolism; public good; Public goods; Questions; siderophore; Siderophores; Social evolution; Sociobiology; TECHNICAL COMMENTS; Alternate hypothesis; falsifiable data; public good; social evolution; siderophore

In recent years, sociobiology has been extended to microorganisms. Viewed through this lens, the microbial world is replete with cooperative behaviors. However, little attention has been paid to alternate hypotheses, making many studies self-confirming. Somewhat apart is a recent analysis of pyoverd...