Behavior and Population Ecology of Coral Reef Fishes

许多物种的雄性通常有不同于雌性的颜色和形态。达尔文提出，这些差异是由于性选择；也就是说，这些特征与更高的交配成功率有关。性选择有两个来源；一种来自于雄性之间对配偶的竞争，另一种来自于雌性对配偶的选择。本研究采用了一系列基于本地种群中雄性移植的实验来区分那些由竞争形成的男性特征和那些由雌性选择形成的男性特征。这个问题以前从未以系统的方式被探讨过，应该会大大增加我们对性选择动力学的理解。影响性选择的另一个同样重要的因素是雌性选择配偶的成本。沃纳博士将根据不同选择所导致的死亡率和受精率来调查这些成本。

Males of many species often have colorations and morphologies that are different from females. Darwin proposed that these differences were due to sexual selection; that is, the characteristics were associated with increased mating success. There are two sources of sexual selection; one arises from competition between males for mates, and the other from female choice of mates, This proposal uses a series of experiments based on transplants of males among local populations to differentiate those male characteristics that are shaped by competition from those shaped by female choice. This question has never been approached in systematic fashion before, and should greatly increase our understanding of the dynamics of sexual selection. An equally important factor affecting sexual selection is the cost to a female for exercising a choice of mates. Dr. Warner will investigate these costs in terms of the resultant mortality and fertilization rates that result from different choices.