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Temperature as a modulator of sexual selection
Roberto García-Roa1, Francisco Garcia-Gonzalez2,3, Daniel W A Noble4,5
1Behaviour and Evolution, Ethology Lab, Cavanilles Institute of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology, University of Valencia, C/Catedrático José Beltrán 2, Paterna, Valencia, 46980, Spain.
Summary
Temperature significantly influences sexual selection, affecting mating success and traits. Understanding this relationship is crucial for predicting how species will respond to climate change and global warming.
Area of Science:
- Ecology and Evolution
- Behavioral Ecology
- Climate Change Biology
Background:
- Sexual selection strength varies greatly across species, influenced by ecological factors.
- Temperature is a key abiotic factor affecting numerous traits and population dynamics.
- The role of temperature in modulating sexual selection has been largely overlooked.
Purpose of the Study:
- To outline pathways through which temperature affects sexual selection intensity and mechanisms.
- To highlight how global warming studies may miss eco-evolutionary feedbacks by ignoring temperature's role in sexual selection.
- To test the prediction that temperature modulates sexual selection through a meta-analysis.
Main Methods:
- Literature review outlining direct and indirect pathways of temperature effects on sexual selection.
- Meta-analysis of studies experimentally manipulating temperature and measuring sexual selection components.
- Analysis of effects on reproductive success variance and sexually selected traits.
Main Results:
- Identified direct pathways (effects on traits/preferences) and indirect pathways (mating parameters, costs/benefits, demography).
- Meta-analysis revealed a significant association between temperature and measures of sexual selection in both sexes.
- Current global warming research may overlook crucial eco-evolutionary feedbacks mediated by sexual selection.
Conclusions:
- Temperature is a vital modulator of sexual selection, impacting its strength and mechanisms.
- Investigating the interplay between temperature and sexual selection is essential for understanding biodiversity.
- This understanding is critical for predicting species' viability under environmental change, including global warming.
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