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Measuring and Altering Mating Drive in Male Drosophila melanogaster
Published on: February 15, 2017
Why men matter: mating patterns drive evolution of human lifespan
Shripad D Tuljapurkar1, Cedric O Puleston, Michael D Gurven
1Department of Biological Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, California, United States of America. tulja@stanford.edu
Plos One
|August 30, 2007
Summary
Evolutionary theory explains senescence by focusing on early-life selection. Including males and mating patterns in models reveals that continued male fertility past female menopause prevents a sharp increase in mortality, explaining human lifespan.
Area of Science:
- Evolutionary biology
- Demographic modeling
- Human senescence
Background:
- Evolutionary theory predicts senescence due to selection favoring early-life traits.
- Hamilton's theory, using a female-only model, predicts a sharp mortality increase after female menopause.
- This prediction contradicts observed human lifespan patterns.
Purpose of the Study:
- To extend Hamilton's theory by including males and mating patterns.
- To explain the evolution of human lifespan beyond female menopause.
- To challenge the sufficiency of one-sex demographic models in evolutionary senescence.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of a general two-sex demographic model.
- Examination of data on male fertility and mating patterns across age groups.
- Comparison of predictions from one-sex versus two-sex models.
Main Results:
- Selection favors survival as long as males remain fertile.
- Older males demonstrate substantial fertility through mating with younger females.
- Old-age male fertility counteracts deleterious mutations, eliminating the predicted 'wall of death'.
Conclusions:
- Including males and mating patterns resolves discrepancies in senescence theory.
- Male fertility extends selective pressures past female menopause, shaping human lifespan.
- Two-sex models are essential for understanding the evolution of human senescence.
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