The spatial pattern of natural selection when selection depends on experience.

Area of Science:

• Ecology
• Evolutionary Biology
• Behavioral Ecology

Background:

• Apostatic selection, aposematic signals, and mate choice typically require high average prey or mate density (m > T) for effective learning and behavior.
• This assumes uniform target distribution, which is often not the case in natural environments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate how uneven target dispersion affects frequency- or density-dependent selection and searcher behavior.
• To explore the implications of spatial heterogeneity in selection intensity.

Main Methods:

• The study theoretically examines scenarios with uneven target distribution and varying local densities (x) relative to a critical threshold (T).
• It analyzes the impact of aggregation on the proportion of targets in favorable territories and the proportion of favorable territories.

Main Results:

• Uneven dispersion leads to spatially variable selection intensity, with only territories exceeding density threshold T favoring experience-based behaviors.
• Increased aggregation disproportionately increases target presence in favorable territories when m < T, and vice versa when m > T.
• A small fraction of territories can contain a large proportion of targets, concentrating selection and potentially driving population-level effects through a few individuals.

Conclusions:

• Spatially heterogeneous selection can arise even in uniform environments due to uneven target distribution.
• This heterogeneity can explain variation in searcher behavior (personalities) and generate spatial variation in natural and sexual selection.
• Understanding target dispersion is crucial for predicting evolutionary dynamics and behavioral patterns.