Diagnosing confounded Bateman gradients.

ABSTRACT: The Bateman gradient is a fundamental metric of sexual selection, often interpreted as the fitness advantage individuals gain by increasing their number of mates. However, it is recognized that any traits influencing both mating and reproductive success can confound the gradient, misrepresenting the strength of precopulatory sexual selection. Yet, the magnitude of this misrepresentation across different biological systems (e.g., differing in anisogamy or strength of sperm competition), which covariates are most problematic, or how confounded relationships can be diagnosed to better interpret the Bateman gradient, remains largely unexplored. To address these gaps, we simulate 9 plausible biological scenarios where the effect of male mating success on reproductive success is confounded. We f

SUBMITTER: Sanghvi K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12499857 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature