Genetic analysis of variation in female preference functions and the consequences for sexual selection

性选择产生于个体繁殖成功的差异，这种差异与同性和物种成员所表现出的特征或行为特征非随机相关。它是由“性内”的交配和受精竞争（通常在男性之间）和“性间”的配偶选择（通常由女性施加）带来的。后一个过程被认为是复杂的形态、行为和生理特征的进化的核心，否则雄性可能会被认为是不适应的，以及雌性对这些夸张特征的偏好的共同进化。女性偏好随着时间的推移而改变，偏好基因必然存在可遗传的遗传变异，但就目前而言，我们对配偶选择的遗传基础、配偶选择的遗传和环境诱导变异的程度以及配偶偏好的差异是否具有适应性知之甚少。拟议的研究旨在解决这一问题的信息匮乏，这一问题对评估有关性选择和物种形成过程的许多理论非常重要。

Sexual selection arises from variation in individual reproductive success that is non-randomly associated with the characteristics of traits or behaviours exhibited by members of the same sex and species. It is brought about by "intrasexual" competition for matings and fertilizations (usually among males) and "intersexual" mate choice, (usually exerted by females). The latter process is thought to be central to the evolution of elaborate morphological, behavioural and physiological traits in males that might otherwise seem to be maladaptive, and the co-evolution of preferences for such exaggerated traits in females. For female preferences to change over time, there must be heritable genetic variation for preference genes, but as it stands we know very little about the genetic basis of mate choice, the extent of genetic and environmentally-induced variation in mate choice, and whether differences in mate preferences are adaptive or not. The proposed research is designed to address this dearth of information on a subject that is of great importance in assessing much of the theory concerning processes of sexual selection and speciation.