Biology 1001A Lecture Notes - Lecture 15: Anisogamy, Red Queen Hypothesis, Sexual Selection
Document Summary
Parasites place negative frequency-dependent selection on host genotypes. Advantageous for host to be rare genotype, parasites prefer common host genotypes simply due to the large number of individuals. Sex (which produces a diversity of offspring genotypes) thus becomes favoured in individuals living in parasite-rich environments (red queen hypothesis). Sex is costly and inefficient, but incredibly successful: Long-term advantage (capacity to purge harmful mutations in a species) Short-term advantage (hedge bets against a quickly-changing environment, in other words the possibility of developing new alleles better adapted to any inevitable shifts in environmental patterns). It explains sexually dimorphic traits, and traits seemingly incompatible with natural selection. Intrasexual selection: sexual selection that occurs between competing mates of the same sex for a common mate (trying to discourage competitors), e. g. weapons like tusks and horns, dominance contests, etc. Intersexual selection: sexual selection that occurs between possible mates (trying to impress or win opposite sex"s approval), e. g. feather colour, mating songs, etc.