The role of indirect genetic effects in the evolution of interacting reproductive behaviors in the burying beetle, Nicrophorus vespilloides.

ABSTRACT: Social interactions can give rise to indirect genetic effects (IGEs), which occur when genes expressed in one individual affect the phenotype of another individual. The evolutionary dynamics of traits can be altered when there are IGEs. Sex often involves indirect effects arising from first-order (current) or second-order (prior) social interactions, yet IGEs are infrequently quantified for reproductive behaviors. Here, we use experimental populations of burying beetles that have experienced bidirectional selection on mating rate to test for social plasticity and IGEs associated with focal males mating with a female either without (first-order effect) or with (second-order effect) prior exposure to a competitor, and resource defense behavior (first-order effect). Additive IGEs were detecte

SUBMITTER: Carter MJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6374716 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature