Reproductive Interference Between Animal Species

Complex sets of cues can be important in recognizing and responding to conspecific mating competitors and avoiding potentially costly heterospecific competitive interactions. Within Drosophila melanogaster, males can detect sensory inputs from conspecifics to assess the level of competition. They respond to rivals by significantly extending mating duration and gain significant fitness benefits from doing so. Here, we tested the idea that the multiple sensory cues used by D. melanogaster males to detect conspecifics also function to minimize “off‐target” responses to heterospecific males that they might encounter (Drosophila simulans, Drosophila yakuba, Drosophila pseudoobscura, or Drosophila virilis). Focal D. melanogaster males exposed to D. simulans or D. pseudoobscura subsequently increased mating duration, but to a lesser extent than following exposure to conspecific rivals. The magnitude of rivals’ responses expressed by D. melanogaster males did not align with genetic distance between species, and none of the sensory manipulations caused D. melanogaster to respond to males of all other species tested. However, when we removed or provided “false” sensory cues, D. melanogaster males became more likely to show increased mating duration responses to heterospecific males. We suggest that benefits of avoiding inaccurate assessment of the competitive environment may shape the evolution of recognition cues.

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The role of species‐specific sensory cues in male responses to mating rivals in Drosophila melanogaster fruitflies

Bretman

Rouse

Westmancoat

et al. 2017

“…2002; Arif et al. 2007; Gröning and Hochkirch 2008). In such cases, there is often a mismatch between a species' realized distribution – where it actually occurs – and its potential distribution, which includes all habitat areas that are climatically suitable.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Differential effects of climate and species interactions on range limits at a hybrid zone: potential direct and indirect impacts of climate change

McQuillan

Rice

2015

The relative contributions of climate versus interspecific interactions in shaping species distributions have important implications for closely related species at contact zones. When hybridization occurs within a contact zone, these factors regulate hybrid zone location and movement. While a hybrid zone's position may depend on both climate and interactions between the hybridizing species, little is known about how these factors interact to affect hybrid zone dynamics. Here, we utilize SDM (species distribution modeling) both to characterize the factors affecting the current location of a moving North American avian hybrid zone and to predict potential direct and indirect effects of climate change on future distributions. We focus on two passerine species that hybridize where their ranges meet, the Black‐capped (Poecile atricapillus) and Carolina (P. carolinensis) chickadee. Our contemporary climate models predict the occurrence of climatically suitable habitat extending beyond the hybrid zone for P. atricapillus only, suggesting that interspecific interactions primarily regulate this range boundary in P. atricapillus, while climatic factors regulate P. carolinensis. Year 2050 climate models predict a drastic northward shift in suitable habitat for P. carolinensis. Because of the greater importance of interspecific interactions for regulating the southern range limit of P. atricapillus, these climate‐mediated shifts in the distribution of P. carolinensis may indirectly lead to a range retraction in P. atricapillus. Together, our results highlight the ways climate change can both directly and indirectly affect species distributions and hybrid zone location. In addition, our study lends support to the longstanding hypothesis that abiotic factors regulate species' poleward range limits, while biotic factors shape equatorial range limits.

“…Reproductive interference is defined as an inter‐specific interaction associated with courtship or mating that negatively affects the fitness of at least one of the associated species (Gröning & Hochkirch, 2008). For example, males attempt to mate with both conspecific females and heterospecific females in many animal species.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Even when no hybrid offspring are produced, harassment by heterospecific males may reduce female fitness via energy wasted in repeated rejections of persistent males and costs or injury associated with mating (especially if forced). Some authors have suggested that patterns of species coexistence might be shaped by reproductive interference rather than the more commonly studied process of resource competition (see review in Gröning & Hochkirch, 2008). …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reproductive interference by male Drosophila subobscura on female D. persimilis: A laboratory experiment

Manzano‐Winkler

Hish

Aarons

et al. 2017

While females often reject courtship attempts by heterospecific males, reproductive interference by harassment from such males can nonetheless occur, potentially reducing female fitness. Such effects may be profound following a range expansion, when males from a new species may suddenly encounter (and perhaps even become abundant relative to) females of related native species. Drosophila subobscura recently invaded North America and may impact native species through reproductive interference and other processes. We test for the potential for reproductive interference by D. subobscura males on D. persimilis females in the laboratory. D. subobscura males aggressively copulated with D. persimilis females, including many females that exhibit rejection behaviors. Despite females attempting to dismount the males, the heterospecific copulations are on average longer than conspecific copulations, and females exhibit some reluctance to remate with conspecific males following this harassment. Females confined with both conspecific and heterospecific males produce fewer adult progeny than those with either conspecific males only or with conspecific males and distantly related D. simulans males that do not engage in female harassment. Overall, our results illustrate how reproductive interference by an invasive species can have negative effects on resident natural populations.