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Related Experiment Videos

Does egg competition occur in marine broadcast-spawners?

D J Marshall1, J P Evans

  • 1School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. d.marshall@unsw.edu.au

Journal of Evolutionary Biology
|September 2, 2005
PubMed
Summary

Sperm limitation in marine invertebrates drives intense egg competition, impacting fertilization success. Early access to sperm significantly increases fertilization rates, highlighting selection on female traits for successful reproduction.

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Area of Science:

  • Marine Biology
  • Reproductive Ecology
  • Sexual Selection

Background:

  • Sperm availability can limit female reproductive success, driving sexual selection.
  • Sperm limitation is common in broadcast-spawning marine invertebrates, making them ideal models for studying egg competition.
  • Competition for sperm can increase the variance in female reproductive success.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate egg competition and its consequences for female reproductive success in the marine polychaete Galeolaria caespitosa.
  • To determine if the order of egg-sperm encounter affects fertilization success under different current regimes.
  • To assess the impact of prior sperm exposure on the quantity and quality of sperm available for subsequent fertilization.

Main Methods:

  • Experiments utilized a split-clutch, split-ejaculate technique to compare fertilization success.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Fertilization rates were compared between eggs with first access (competition-free) and second access (egg competition) to sperm.
  • The study examined fertilization success at two ecologically relevant current speeds and varying sperm concentrations.

    • Main Results:

    • Fertilization success was significantly higher for eggs with prior access to sperm compared to those experiencing competition.
    • The order of egg-sperm encounter impacted fertilization rates under both tested current speeds.
    • Prior sperm exposure reduced both sperm quantity and quality, leading to decreased fertilization success for a second egg clutch.

    Conclusions:

    • Egg competition, driven by sperm limitation, is a significant factor influencing reproductive success in broadcast-spawning species.
    • Female traits that enhance sperm-egg interactions are likely to be favored by natural selection in environments with sperm limitation.
    • The findings underscore the importance of sperm competition dynamics in shaping reproductive strategies in marine invertebrates.