Daphnia invest in sexual reproduction when its relative costs are reduced.

ABSTRACT: The timing of sex in facultatively sexual organisms is critical to fitness, due to the differing demographic consequences of sexual versus asexual reproduction. In addition to the costs of sex itself, an association of sex with the production of dormant life stages also influences the optimal use of sex, especially in environments where resting eggs are essential to survive unfavourable conditions. Here we document population dynamics and the occurrence of sexual reproduction in natural populations of Daphnia magna across their growing season. The frequency of sexually reproducing females and males increased with population density and with decreasing asexual clutch sizes. The frequency of sexually reproducing females additionally increased as population growth rates decreased. Cons

SUBMITTER: Gerber N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5805931 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature