Sexual conflict in natural populations

对于大多数生物来说，雄性和雌性有不同的方法来最大化它们将产生的后代数量以形成下一代（即它们的适应性）。这是因为雄性产生的配子（精子）消耗的能量很少，而雌性产生的配子（卵子）消耗的能量很大。这种情况会产生与最佳交配率有关的性冲突。雄性通常从尽可能频繁的交配中获益，以使最大数量的卵子受精。相反，雌性应该避免交配，因为它们在一次或几次交配后通常不需要精子。水黾是为交配而发生性冲突的典型例子。然而，我们的研究结果表明，雌性也会从几个雄性生育后代中受益。这项研究将使用遗传方法来确定亲子关系，以完善我们对因素如何相互作用来决定男性和女性健康的理解。将调查交配率与生殖成功率之间的关系、雄性和雌性影响如何使用来自不同伴侣的精子的能力、雌性可能从多次交配中获得的更高的繁殖力以及自然种群的遗传特性对选择过程的影响。这项研究将进一步加深我们对野生种群中选择是如何起作用的理解，以及为什么雌性交配的频率比必要的要高。本研究将涉及4名研究生和13名本科生。

For most organisms, males and females have different means of maximizing the number of offspring they will produce to form the next generation (that is, their fitness). This arises because male produce gametes (sperm) that cost little energy, while female gametes (eggs) are energetically costly. This situation can generate a sexual conflict related to the optimal mating rate. Males generally benefit from mating as often as possible to fertilize a maximum number of eggs. In contrast, females should avoid mating because they often do not require sperm after one or a few copulations. Water striders are prime examples of sexual conflict over mating. Yet, our results rather suggest that females also benefit from having several males siring their offspring. This research will use a genetic approach to determine parentage relationships to refine our understanding of how factors interact to determine male and female fitness. The relationship between mating rate and reproductive success, the capacity of males and females at influencing how sperm from different partners is used, the increased fecundity that female may acquire from multiple mating, and the influence of genetic properties of natura l population on selective processes will be investigated. This research will further our understanding of how selection works in wild population, and why female mate more often than necessary. Four graduate and 13 undergraduate will be involved in this research.