Ecology & Evolution of Sexual Selection

性选择是进化变化的有力推动者，因为非随机交配增加了繁殖成功的个体差异，从而改变了等位基因代代相传的频率。虽然性选择通常与雄性复杂的形态、行为和生理特征的进化以及雌性对这些特征的偏好有关，但我们仍然不了解它的运作，以及它对物种适应的短期和长期影响(2)性选择与自然选择是互补还是对立的测试。我们的研究将使用两种果蝇：一种是黑腹果蝇，它被广泛用作求偶/交配行为的模型；另一种是斑翼果蝇，它是一种入侵进化轨迹。尽管其潜在的重要性，女性择偶的变化在很大程度上被忽视了。在未来的5年里我们将继续探索遗传适应性进化是有争议的。如果性选择偏爱的特征是整体“质量”的信号，那么非随机交配将补充自然选择。然而，如果提高个体繁殖成功率的特征是以生存（或异性成员）为代价的，那么自然选择和性选择就会相反，从而干扰物种适应环境的能力。我们计划用实验进化来验证这一点，利用果蝇进行实验进化，因为性选择的机会（和强度），以及环境，都可以很容易地操纵，并且可以对个体适应性进行有意义的测量。

Sexual selection is a powerful agent of evolutionary change, as non-random mating increases individual variation in reproductive success, thereby altering the frequencies of alleles passed on from one generation to the next. While sexual selection is commonly associated with the evolution of elaborate morphological, behavioural and physiological traits in males, as well as preferences for some of these traits in females, there is a great deal that we still do not understand about its operation, and its short-and long-term impact on species adaptation (2) tests of whether sexual selection is complementary or antagonistic to natural selection. Our research will use 2 species of fruit flies: D. melanogaster, which has served extensively as a model for courtship/mating behaviour and the spotted-wing fly, D. suzukii, an invasive ( evolutionary trajectory. Despite its potential importance, variation in female mate choice has been largely overlooked. Over the next 5yrs we shall continue exploring the genetic adaptive evolution is contentious. If traits favoured by sexual selection are signals of overall “quality”, then non-random mating will complement natural selection. However, if traits that increase individual reproductive success come at a cost of survival (or to members of the opposite sex), then natural & sexual selection will act in opposition, thereby interfering with the ability of species to adapt to their environment. We plan to test this empirically testing this using experimental evolution using Drosophila sp. as the opportunity (& intensity) of sexual selection, as well as the environment, can be easily manipulated, & meaningful measurements of individual fitness can be made.