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Frequency-dependent Selection

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.

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Evolutionary Psychology

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 28, 2025

Manipulation of Color Patterns in Jumping Spiders for Use in Behavioral Experiments

Manipulation of Color Patterns in Jumping Spiders for Use in Behavioral Experiments

Published on: May 21, 2019

Is Phenotypic Evolution Affected by Spiders' Construction Behaviors?

Lili Shao¹, Zhe Zhao¹, Shuqiang Li¹

¹Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China.

Systematic Biology

|September 21, 2022

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Spider construction behaviors, like web-building, significantly influence their physical evolution, driving changes in body size and leg length. These behaviors shape selection pressures, demonstrating a key role in macroevolutionary phenotypic changes.

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Last Updated: Aug 28, 2025

Manipulation of Color Patterns in Jumping Spiders for Use in Behavioral Experiments

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Published on: May 21, 2019

Microdissection of Black Widow Spider Silk-producing Glands

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Published on: January 11, 2011

Extraction of Venom and Venom Gland Microdissections from Spiders for Proteomic and Transcriptomic Analyses

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Published on: November 3, 2014

Area of Science:

Evolutionary Biology
Animal Behavior
Genomics

Background:

Organismal environmental modification, or construction behavior, is widespread but its macroevolutionary impact on phenotypic evolution is understudied.
Spiders (Araneae) offer a model system due to their diverse behaviors, morphology, and ecological success.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the macroevolutionary link between spider construction behaviors and somatic (physical) trait evolution.
To reconstruct a robust spider phylogeny and analyze morphological data in conjunction with behavioral and habitat information.

Main Methods:

Phylogenomic analysis of 303 spider species using 99 new molecular markers.
Morphological analysis of 3,342 extant and 682 fossil spider species.
Evolutionary model analyses incorporating construction behavior, habitat, and morphology.
Molecular convergence analysis of gene enrichment in spiders with construction behaviors.

Main Results:

Construction behaviors, particularly web-building, significantly impact spider somatic evolution, more so than habitat.
Specific behaviors correlate with distinct morphological outcomes: silk-lined burrowing favors larger bodies and shorter legs, while web-building favors smaller bodies and longer legs.
Genes related to morphogenesis and response to stimuli/stress are enriched in spiders exhibiting construction behaviors.

Conclusions:

Construction behavior is a critical driver of phenotypic evolution in spiders on macroevolutionary timescales.
Spider artifacts, such as webs, facilitate habitat expansion and impose specific selective pressures.
This study provides strong evidence for the role of animal behavior in shaping evolutionary trajectories.