Sex ratio variation shapes the ecological effects of a globally introduced freshwater fish.

ABSTRACT: Sex ratio and sexual dimorphism have long been of interest in population and evolutionary ecology, but consequences for communities and ecosystems remain untested. Sex ratio could influence ecological conditions whenever sexual dimorphism is associated with ecological dimorphism in species with strong ecological interactions. We tested for ecological implications of sex ratio variation in the sexually dimorphic western mosquitofish, Gambusia affinis. This species causes strong pelagic trophic cascades and exhibits substantial variation in adult sex ratios. We found that female-biased populations induced stronger pelagic trophic cascades compared with male-biased populations, causing larger changes to key community and ecosystem responses, including zooplankton abundance, phytoplankton abun

SUBMITTER: Fryxell DC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4633880 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature