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During your ride back to the lab, your coworker explains that the research so far has centered around the idea of kin selection. The data, however, seem to show that the individuals that are cooperating are not sufficiently related to support this theory in this case. A related set of experiments showed that cooperation is heritable (i.e. cooperators only give birth to cooperators, and defectors only give birth to defectors). So now the lab's research centers around several theories based on the problem of the Prisoner's Dilemma.
When you return to the lab you will be given the opportunity to experiment with three different models that could potentially explain the behavior that you observed. You will also be given access to the library which contains information about these model systems, as well as some related materials. It is your job to learn about each of the different models, and generate theories how they might explain the cooperative behavior in this halictid bee. After you feel comfortable with them, you will be responsible for completing a research plan to investigate the potential for these theories to explain this instance of cooperation.
Just then you pull into campus. Your coworker drops you off and wishes you luck. Now it is time to head up to the lab.
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