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Mate Choice01:20

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Mate choice—the decision about whom to mate with—is a type of natural selection, since animals must reproduce to pass down their genes. Mate choice is also called intersexual selection because the behavior occurs between the sexes.
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Types of Selection01:46

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Natural selection influences the frequencies of particular alleles and phenotypes within populations in several different ways. Primarily, natural selection can be directional, stabilizing, or disruptive. Directional selection favors one extreme trait and shifts the population towards that phenotype while selecting against individuals displaying alternate traits. Stabilizing selection favors an intermediate trait with a narrow range of variation. Deviation from the optimal phenotype towards an...
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The principle of natural selection posits that organisms better adapted to their environment are more likely to survive and reproduce. This principle is closely intertwined with mating preferences, a key aspect of sexual selection, which evolutionary psychologists believe is driven by instincts to propagate one's genes. Such instincts significantly influence mating behaviors and preferences between genders.
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In a study where individuals posing as strangers offered compliments and proposed casual sex to students, the responses differed significantly based on gender. Not a single woman accepted the proposal, while 70% of the men agreed. This outcome provides a useful scenario to explore through the lens of evolutionary psychology and social learning theory, highlighting the diverse perspectives on human sexual behaviors.
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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 explores the origins of human behavior and mental processes by framing them within the context of natural selection, a theory famously propounded by Charles Darwin. This field asserts that many behaviors common across human societies — ranging from instinctive fear reactions to complex social interactions — arose as evolutionary adaptations. These adaptations enhanced the survival and reproductive success of our ancestors, thereby becoming embedded in the...
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The coevolutionary dynamics of cryptic female choice.

Matthew C Kustra1, Suzanne H Alonzo1,2

  • 1Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, United States.

Evolution Letters
|July 21, 2023
PubMed
Summary

Cryptic female choice, where females influence fertilization success postmating, significantly impacts male ejaculate investment and sperm trait evolution. This evolutionary dynamic is important even with low sperm competition risk.

Keywords:
Fisherian Runaway Selectionindividual-based modelpostcopulatory sexual selectionreproductive isolationsperm competition

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Area of Science:

  • Evolutionary Biology
  • Sexual Selection
  • Reproductive Strategies

Background:

  • Sexual selection research often focuses on pre-mating traits, with less theoretical attention on post-mating interactions.
  • Cryptic female choice, a mechanism where females bias fertilization success towards specific males, remains underexplored theoretically.
  • Existing models often focus on male-mediated post-mating processes, potentially overlooking female influence on fertilization.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate how nondirectional cryptic female choice influences post-mating trait evolution compared to male-only models.
  • To examine the interplay between sperm competition risk, cryptic female choice strength, and sperm trait evolution.
  • To understand the coevolutionary dynamics between female choice and male sperm traits under varying selective pressures.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized simulation models to explore the evolutionary consequences of cryptic female choice.
  • Varied parameters including the risk of sperm competition and the strength of cryptic female choice.
  • Assessed the impact of trade-offs between sperm number and sperm traits on coevolutionary trajectories.

Main Results:

  • Cryptic female choice can lead to reduced male investment in ejaculates compared to models without it.
  • Genetic correlations between cryptic female choice and sperm traits evolved even under weak female choice and low sperm competition.
  • High cryptic female choice and sperm competition risk drove extreme codivergence of traits, even with trade-offs, and male traits lagged female evolution.

Conclusions:

  • Cryptic female choice plays a significant role in post-mating sexual selection and trait evolution, warranting further theoretical and empirical investigation.
  • The influence of cryptic female choice is substantial even in systems with limited multiple mating or low sperm competition.
  • Understanding cryptic female choice is crucial for a comprehensive view of sexual selection and the evolution of reproductive traits.