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Related Concept Videos

Frequency-dependent Selection01:21

Frequency-dependent Selection

When the fitness of a trait is influenced by how common it is (i.e., its frequency) relative to different traits within a population, this is referred to as frequency-dependent selection. Frequency-dependent selection may occur between species or within a single species. This type of selection can either be positive—with more common phenotypes having higher fitness—or negative, with rarer phenotypes conferring increased fitness.Positive Frequency-Dependent SelectionIn positive...
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Color Vision

Color perception begins in the retina, the light-sensitive layer at the back of the eye. Two main theories explain how colors are seen: the trichromatic theory and the opponent-process theory. The trichromatic theory, proposed by Thomas Young in 1802 and extended by Hermann von Helmholtz in 1852, suggests that color vision is based on three types of cone receptors in the retina. These cones are sensitive to different but overlapping ranges of wavelengths corresponding to red, blue, and green.

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Frequency-dependent physiological trade-offs between competing colour morphs.

Sarah R Pryke1, Lee B Astheimer, William A Buttemer

  • 1Centre for the Integrative Study of Animal Behaviour, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales 2109, Australia. sarah.pryke@mq.edu.au

Biology Letters
|July 5, 2007
PubMed
Summary

Gouldian finch color morphs show different stress and immune responses based on social environments. Red-headed males are sensitive to competition, while black-headed males are more resilient.

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Area of Science:

  • Behavioral Ecology
  • Evolutionary Biology
  • Physiological Ecology

Background:

  • Alternative color morphs in species can experience frequency-dependent selection, potentially leading to similar fitness.
  • Gouldian finches (Erythrura gouldiae) exhibit distinct red- and black-headed male morphs with differing behavioral tendencies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the impact of frequency-dependent social environments on hormone levels and immune function in Gouldian finch morphs.
  • To determine if genetically controlled color morphs exhibit differential physiological and behavioral responses to social competition.

Main Methods:

  • Experimental manipulation of social environments to assess frequency-dependent effects.
  • Measurement of plasma hormone levels (testosterone and corticosterone) in male finches.
  • Assessment of immune function in relation to social environment and morph.

Main Results:

  • Red-headed males showed heightened stress responses and immunosuppression in competitive social environments, particularly with high densities of their own morph.
  • Black-headed males, employing a passive strategy, exhibited resilience to social stresses.
  • Hormonal differences influenced aggressive behavior and immune performance, aligning with distinct morph strategies.

Conclusions:

  • Social environments critically influence the physiological and behavioral responses of alternative color morphs.
  • Differential hormonal regulation and immune function in Gouldian finch morphs underscore the importance of social context in evolutionary adaptation.
  • Frequency-dependent selection can maintain distinct morphs by linking social behavior, physiology, and environmental pressures.