Sex-specific early survival drives adult sex ratio bias in snowy plovers and impacts mating system and population growth.

ABSTRACT: Adult sex ratio (ASR) is a central concept in population biology and a key factor in sexual selection, but why do most demographic models ignore sex biases? Vital rates often vary between the sexes and across life history, but their relative contributions to ASR variation remain poorly understood-an essential step to evaluate sex ratio theories in the wild and inform conservation. Here, we combine structured two-sex population models with individual-based mark-recapture data from an intensively monitored polygamous population of snowy plovers. We show that a strongly male-biased ASR (0.63) is primarily driven by sex-specific survival of juveniles rather than adults or dependent offspring. This finding provides empirical support for theories of unbiased sex allocation when sex differences i

SUBMITTER: Eberhart-Phillips LJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5502594 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature