Sexual Selection and Survival in North American Waterfowl

Promislow, Daniel E. L.; Montgomerie, Robert; Martin, Thomas E.

doi:10.1111/j.1558-5646.1994.tb02232.x

Cited by 46 publications

(44 citation statements)

References 32 publications

(25 reference statements)

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“…In agamid lizards, only dichromatism of body regions 'exposed' to visual predators showed an association with habitat openness, suggesting that natural selection acts primarily via the mechanism of differential predation pressure. Substantial comparative and empirical evidence already exists for a predation cost associated with conspicuous coloration (Endler 1983;Promislow et al 1992Promislow et al , 1994Huhta et al 2003;. This study provides broad comparative support for the view that the evolution of sexual traits results from a trade-off between sexual selection for conspicuous coloration and natural selection via differential predation pressure.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 60%

“…It is now both theoretically and empirically well established that the evolutionary interaction or trade-off between sexual selection and natural selection can generate phenotypic variation (Andersson 1982;Endler 1983Endler , 2000Lande & Kirkpatrick 1988;Price 1998). However, the extent to which such trade-offs generate predictable patterns in the form of sexual dimorphism in secondary sexual traits remains largely unexplored (but see Promislow et al 1992Promislow et al , 1994Cuervo & Møller 1999).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Sexual selection, natural selection and the evolution of dimorphic coloration and ornamentation in agamid lizards

Stuart‐Fox

Ord

2004

Proc. R. Soc. Lond. B

199

214

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Both sexual selection and natural selection can influence the form of dimorphism in secondary sexual traits. Here, we used a comparative approach to examine the relative roles of sexual selection and natural selection in the evolution of sexually dimorphic coloration (dichromatism) and ornamentation in agamid lizards. Sexual dimorphism in head and body size were used as indirect indicators of sexual selection, and habitat type (openness) as an index of natural selection. We examined separately the dichromatism of body regions 'exposed to' and 'concealed from' visual predators, because these body regions are likely to be subject to different selection pressures. Dichromatism of 'exposed' body regions was significantly associated with habitat type: males were typically more conspicuously coloured than females in closed habitats. By contrast, dichromatism of 'concealed' body regions and ornament dimorphism were positively associated with sexual size dimorphism (SSD). When we examined male and female ornamentation separately, however, both were positively associated with habitat openness in addition to snout-vent length and head SSD. These results suggest that natural selection constrains the evolution of elaborate ornamentation in both sexes as well as sexual dichromatism of body regions exposed to visual predators. By contrast, dichromatism of 'concealed' body regions and degree of ornament dimorphism appear to be driven to a greater degree by sexual selection.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 60%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sexual selection, natural selection and the evolution of dimorphic coloration and ornamentation in agamid lizards

Stuart‐Fox

Ord

2004

Proc. R. Soc. Lond. B

199

214

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“…Comparative evidence for survival costs of sexual advertisement comes from studies on birds. Using a phylogenetic framework, Promislow and coworkers (5,6) have shown that sexual dichromatism was associated with higher mortality rate within passerines and waterfowl.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Sexual selection affects local extinction and turnover in bird communities

Doherty

Sorci

Royle

et al. 2003

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

136

110

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Predicting extinction risks has become a central goal for conservation and evolutionary biologists interested in population and community dynamics. Several factors have been put forward to explain risks of extinction, including ecological and life history characteristics of individuals. For instance, factors that affect the balance between natality and mortality can have profound effects on population persistence. Sexual selection has been identified as one such factor. Populations under strong sexual selection experience a number of costs ranging from increased predation and parasitism to enhanced sensitivity to environmental and demographic stochasticity. These findings have led to the prediction that local extinction rates should be higher for species͞populations with intense sexual selection. We tested this prediction by analyzing the dynamics of natural bird communities at a continental scale over a period of 21 years , using relevant statistical tools. In agreement with the theoretical prediction, we found that sexual selection increased risks of local extinction (dichromatic birds had on average a 23% higher local extinction rate than monochromatic species). However, despite higher local extinction probabilities, the number of dichromatic species did not decrease over the period considered in this study. This pattern was caused by higher local turnover rates of dichromatic species, resulting in relatively stable communities for both groups of species. Our results suggest that these communities function as metacommunities, with frequent local extinctions followed by colonization. Anthropogenic factors impeding dispersal might therefore have a significant impact on the global persistence of sexually selected species. O ne of the key assumptions of theoretical models of sexual selection is the antagonistic effect of natural and sexual selection on the evolution of exaggerated sexual advertisements (1). On one hand, competition among males and͞or female preference can result in the evolution of costly sexual traits; on the other hand, extravagant ornaments can incur survival costs. As a consequence, the evolution of exaggerated displays is thought to displace individuals harboring such traits from their survival optimum (2). Survival costs of sexual displays have been shown both at the intraspecific and interspecific level. In a pioneering study, Endler (3,4) showed that the number and size of color spots in guppies (Poecilia reticulata) were tightly linked to the distribution of predator species in the stream; the number of color spots decreased in areas with high visual predation. A laboratory study on experimental populations of guppies experiencing various predation regimes confirmed the causative link between expression of secondary sexual traits and predation (3, 4). Comparative evidence for survival costs of sexual advertisement comes from studies on birds. Using a phylogenetic framework, Promislow and coworkers (5, 6) have shown that sexual dichromatism was associated with higher mortality rate within...

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“…Sexual dichromatism in birds is generally thought to arise from sexual selection favoring conspicuous coloration in males, although natural selection (e.g., predation) is thought to ultimately limit conspicuousness (Darwin 1871;Fisher 1930;Hingston 1933;Kodric-Brown and Brown 1984;Kirkpatrick et al 1990;Promislow et al 1992Promislow et al , 1994Andersson 1994). Alternatively, bright coloration may be favored by predation because it advertises that a prey is unprofitable (Cott 1947;Baker and Parker 1979;Gotmark 1992Gotmark , 1993Gotmark , 1995; but see Slagsvold et al 1995).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Sexual Dichromatism in Birds: Importance of Nest Predation and Nest Location for Females Versus Males

1996

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Abstract.-Examinations of variation in plumage dichromatism in birds have focused on male plumage brightness and largely neglected variation in female plumage brightness. Nest predation previously was concluded to constrain male brightness and thereby reduce dimorphism in ground-nesting birds based on an incorrect assumption that nest predation is greater for ground nests. Correlations of plumage brightness and dichromatism with nest predation have never been tested directly and we do so here with data for warblers (Parulinae) and finches (Carduelinae). We show that male plumage brightness varies among nest heights, but in a pattern that is not correlated with nest predation. Female plumage brightness also varies among nest heights, but in a pattern that differs from males, and one in which variation in female plumage brightness was negatively correlated with nest predation. These results suggest that nest predation may place greater constraints on female than male plumage brightness, at least in taxa where only females incubate eggs and brood young. These results also show that female plumage patterns vary at least partly independently of male patterns and emphasize the need to include consideration of both female and male plumage variation in tests of plumage dimorphism. Plumage dimorphism differs between ground and off-ground nesters as previously described and, if anything, the relationship between plumage dimorphism and nest predation was positive rather than negative as previously argued.

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Sexual Selection and Survival in North American Waterfowl

Cited by 46 publications

References 32 publications

Sexual selection, natural selection and the evolution of dimorphic coloration and ornamentation in agamid lizards

Sexual selection, natural selection and the evolution of dimorphic coloration and ornamentation in agamid lizards

Sexual selection affects local extinction and turnover in bird communities

Sexual Dichromatism in Birds: Importance of Nest Predation and Nest Location for Females Versus Males

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