scholarly journals Sexually antagonistic association between paternal phenotype and offspring viability reinforces total selection on a sexually selected trait

2014 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 20140043 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexandre M. Martin ◽  
Marco Festa-Bianchet ◽  
David W. Coltman ◽  
Fanie Pelletier

The evolution of conspicuous sexually selected traits, such as horns or antlers, has fascinated biologists for more than a century. Elaborate traits can only evolve if they substantially increase reproduction, because they probably incur survival costs to the bearer. Total selection on these traits, however, includes sexual selection on sires and viability selection on offspring and can be influenced by changes in each of these components. Non-random associations between paternal phenotype and offspring viability may thus affect total selection on sexually selected traits. Long-term data on wild bighorn sheep ( Ovis canadensis ) provide the first evidence in nature that association between paternal phenotype and lamb viability strengthens total selection on horn size of adult rams, a sexually selected trait. The association of paternal horn length and offspring viability was sexually antagonistic: long-horned males sired sons with high viability but daughters of low viability. These results shed new light on the evolutionary dynamics of an iconic sexually selected trait and have important implications for sustainable wildlife management.

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Regina Vega-Trejo ◽  
Michael D. Jennions ◽  
Megan L. Head

AbstractConditions experienced early in life can affect key life-history traits. Individuals that experience a poor nutritional environment early in life can reduce potential costs by delaying sexual maturation. The direct costs of delaying maturation are well known (i.e. delayed onset of breeding), but individuals can also face additional costs as adults. Some of these ‘hidden costs’ accrue due to cryptic morphological and physiological changes. In mosquitofish (Gambusia holbrooki), males with limited food intake early in life delay maturation to eventually reach a similar adult body size to their well-fed counterparts (‘catch-up growth’). Here we tested whether a poor diet early in life incurs hidden costs due to reduced expression of sexually selected male traits (genital size and ejaculate traits). We found that diet early in life significantly influenced sperm reserves and replenishment rate due to age and development-rate dependent effects. Although catching-up in body size ameliorates some of the costs of a poor start in life for males, our findings suggest that long-term fitness costs might arise because of sexually selection against these males. Our results highlight that fitness costs of a poor start in life can extend into adulthood.


Oikos ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 128 (10) ◽  
pp. 1381-1389
Author(s):  
João Alpedrinha ◽  
Leonor R. Rodrigues ◽  
Sara Magalhães ◽  
Jessica Abbott

Author(s):  
Ricardo Sánchez-Murillo

This study presents a hydrogeochemical analysis of spring responses (2013-2017) in the tropical mountainous region of the Central Valley of Costa Rica. The isotopic distribution of δ18O and δ2H in rainfall resulted in a highly significant meteoric water line: δ2H = 7.93×δ18O + 10.37 (r2=0.97). Rainfall isotope composition exhibited a strong dependent seasonality. The isotopic variation (δ18O) of two springs within the Barva aquifer was simulated using the FlowPC program to determine mean transit times (MTTs). Exponential-piston and dispersion distribution functions provided the best-fit to the observed isotopic composition at Flores and Sacramento springs, respectively. MTTs corresponded to 1.23±0.03 (Sacramento) and 1.42±0.04 (Flores) years. The greater MTT was represented by a homogeneous geochemical composition at Flores, whereas the smaller MTT at Sacramento is reflected in a more variable geochemical response. The results may be used to enhance modelling efforts in central Costa Rica, whereby scarcity of long-term data limits water resources management plans.


Author(s):  
L. Vesnina ◽  
G. Lukerina ◽  
T. Ronzhina ◽  
A. Savos’kin ◽  
D. Surkov

The long-term data from morphometric studies of Artemia males from bisexual and parthenogenetic populations from hyperhaline reservoirs of the Altai region (Bolshoe Yarovoe Lake, Maloe Shklo Lake, and the Tanatar Lakes system) is analyzed in this paper. The description of signs of sexual dimorphism and sexual structure in different populations is given. The influence of brine salinity and hydrogen index on morphometric parameters of males was analyzed. There are differences in the sexual structure of the Artemia population: in the lakes Maloe Shklo and the thanatar system, the populations are bisexual (the share of males is 28.5 — 75.0 %), in the lake Bolshoe yarovoe — parthenogenetic (the share of males on average does not exceed 3 %). At the same time, sexual dimorphism is typical for both types of populations: females are larger than males, males have a larger head (the distance between the eyes is greater by 15.5 %, the diameter of the eye is 26.1 %, the length of the antenna is 22.3 %) and a larger number of bristles (36.1 %). The greatest variability is observed in the parameters of the Furka structure associated with the salinity of water by feedback and the pH — line indicator. Significant differences between the samples of males were revealed. The largest number of significant differences in morphometric indicators was found between samples of males from bisexual populations (lake thanatar and lake Maloe Shklo), the smallest — between males from the parthenogenetic population of lake Bolshoe yarovoe and males from lake Maloe Shklo.


2020 ◽  
Vol 110 (1) ◽  
pp. 49-57 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Alcaide ◽  
M. P. Rabadán ◽  
M. Juárez ◽  
P. Gómez

Mixed viral infections are common in plants, and the evolutionary dynamics of viral populations may differ depending on whether the infection is caused by single or multiple viral strains. However, comparative studies of single and mixed infections using viral populations in comparable agricultural and geographical locations are lacking. Here, we monitored the occurrence of pepino mosaic virus (PepMV) in tomato crops in two major tomato-producing areas in Murcia (southeastern Spain), supporting evidence showing that PepMV disease-affected plants had single infections of the Chilean 2 (CH2) strain in one area and the other area exhibited long-term (13 years) coexistence of the CH2 and European (EU) strains. We hypothesized that circulating strains of PepMV might be modulating the differentiation between them and shaping the evolutionary dynamics of PepMV populations. Our phylogenetic analysis of 106 CH2 isolates randomly selected from both areas showed a remarkable divergence between the CH2 isolates, with increased nucleotide variability in the geographical area where both strains cocirculate. Furthermore, the potential virus–virus interaction was studied further by constructing six full-length infectious CH2 clones from both areas, and assessing their viral fitness in the presence and absence of an EU-type isolate. All CH2 clones showed decreased fitness in mixed infections and although complete genome sequencing indicated a nucleotide divergence of those CH2 clones by area, the magnitude of the fitness response was irrespective of the CH2 origin. Overall, these results suggest that although agroecological cropping practices may be particularly important for explaining the evolutionary dynamics of PepMV in tomato crops, the cocirculation of both strains may have implications on the genetic variability of PepMV populations.


2021 ◽  
pp. 102562
Author(s):  
Laura Ursella ◽  
Sara Pensieri ◽  
Enric Pallàs-Sanz ◽  
Sharon Z. Herzka ◽  
Roberto Bozzano ◽  
...  

2021 ◽  
pp. 104413
Author(s):  
Susan M. Bertram ◽  
Danya D. Yaremchuk ◽  
Mykell L. Reifer ◽  
Amy Villareal ◽  
Matthew J. Muzzatti ◽  
...  

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