How does breeding system variation modulate sexual antagonism?

Area of Science:

• Evolutionary biology
• Sexual conflict research
• Reproductive strategies

Background:

• Sexually antagonistic (SA) traits are primarily studied in animals with separate sexes (dioecious).
• Sexual conflict, however, is not limited by breeding system (dioecy, hermaphroditism) or mobility (sessility).
• Understanding SA traits requires examining diverse reproductive systems.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize how variations in breeding systems affect the evolution and expression of sexual conflicts.
• To explore intra- and inter-locus sexual conflicts in plants and animals.
• To predict the characteristics of SA traits in hermaphrodites.

Main Methods:

• Literature synthesis on breeding systems and sexual conflict.
• Theoretical predictions regarding SA traits in hermaphrodites.
• Call for explicit modeling and empirical testing across diverse breeding systems.

Main Results:

• Hermaphroditic breeding systems may exhibit lower polymorphism in SA traits.
• SA traits in hermaphrodites might evolve more rapidly in response to selection.
• Unique interlocus conflicts over sex allocation, mating roles, and selfing rates are predicted in hermaphrodites.

Conclusions:

• Breeding system variation significantly impacts the evolution and expression of sexual conflict.
• Hermaphrodites present distinct patterns and types of sexual conflict compared to dioecious organisms.
• Further research involving explicit modeling and empirical studies across various breeding systems is crucial for a comprehensive understanding of SA trait evolution.