Speciation by Sexual Selection: Mating Trait Divergence and Ecology in Stickleback Speciation

通过性选择形成的物种：棘鱼物种的交配特征分化和生态janette W. Boughman新物种如何产生的问题是一个古老而困难的问题。尽管经过了几十年的研究，我们仍然对物种形成的原因缺乏清晰的认识。一个长期存在但很少被验证的假设是，性选择（雄性竞争配偶和雌性交配偏好）可以导致物种形成，因为雄性交配信号和雌性偏好多样化。然而，交配特征多样化的原因仍然难以捉摸。没有这种多样化，性选择就不能促进物种形成。因此，如果不了解导致交配特征分化的原因，我们就无法理解性选择是如何产生新物种的。这个项目将测试这样一个假设，即当种群生活在不同的栖息地时，性选择会有所不同，这可能导致交配特征的多样化。它将生态学和行为学联系在一起，以了解它们如何相互作用以创造新物种。该项目研究三刺棘鱼物种群，因为生态和行为都与它们的物种形成有关。通过实地和实验室实验，该项目将重点放在两种交配特征上，这两种特征已被证明与性选择和物种形成有关。这些特征是婚礼的颜色和体型。主要目标是探索栖息地差异如何影响这些特征的性选择，并量化物种之间在交配偏好和雄性竞争方面的差异。该项目将为一名博士后科学家、一名研究生和几名本科生提供培训。这项工作是及时的，因为研究物种是濒危的。这项工作将通过帮助确定物种持续存在所必需的关键生态特征来协助保护工作。

Speciation by sexual selection: Mating trait divergence and ecology in stickleback speciationJanette W. Boughman The question of how new species arise is an old and difficult one. Despite decades of research, we still lack a clear understanding of what causes speciation. A long standing but little tested hypothesis is that sexual selection (male competition for mates and female mating preferences) can cause speciation as male mating signals and female preferences diversify. Yet, the causes of diversification in mating traits remain elusive. Without such diversification, sexual selection cannot contribute to speciation. Therefore, we cannot understand how sexual selection gives rise to new species without understanding what causes mating traits to diverge. This project will test the hypothesis that sexual selection differs when populations live in different habitats, and that this can lead to diversification of mating traits. It ties together ecology and behavior to understand how they interact to create new species. The project studies the threespine stickleback species complex because both ecology and behavior are implicated in their speciation. Using field and lab experiments, the project focuses on two mating traits that have been shown to be involved in both sexual selection and speciation. These traits are nuptial color and body size. Major goals are to explore how habitat differences influence sexual selection on these traits and to quantify differences between species in mating preferences and male competition. The project will provide training for a postdoctoral scientist, a graduate student, and several undergraduates. The work is timely because the study species are endangered. This work will assist in conservation efforts by helping to identify the critical ecological features that are necessary for the species to persist.