Abstract
Research on sexual selection has tended to focus on indirect benefits of female mating decisions, and few attempts have been made to quantify the relative effect of direct and indirect selection simultaneously. Here we compared direct and indirect selection on female mating decisions in the rose bitterling (Rhodeus ocellatus), a fish with a resource-based mating system, using experimental treatments with equivalent consequences for female reproductive success. Direct selection was varied by manipulating the quality of sites available to females for oviposition, and indirect selection by presenting females with males of known genetic compatibility. Manipulating the strength of direct and indirect selection had specific, quantified consequences for embryo survival during incubation. There was a significant effect of both direct and indirect selection on female mating decisions, though direct selection accounted for more variance in female oviposition rate compared with indirect. No interaction between direct and indirect selection was detected. Although effects on female reproductive success were additive, selection for direct mate choice benefits appears to be stronger than for indirect benefits. A possible explanation for weaker selection on indirect benefits in the study species is because females are constrained in making mate choice decisions through alternative male mating tactics, which generate a sexual conflict.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 279-288 |
Number of pages | 10 |
Journal | Israel Journal of Ecology and Evolution |
Volume | 58 |
Issue number | 4 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 1 Jan 2012 |
Keywords
- bitterling
- direct selection
- indirect selection
- mate choice
- oviposition
- Rhodeus ocellatus
- sexual selection