Sex-allocation conflict and sexual selection throughout the lifespan of eusocial colonies.

ABSTRACT: Models of sex-allocation conflict are central to evolutionary biology but have mostly assumed static decisions, where resource allocation strategies are constant over colony lifespan. Here, we develop a model to study how the evolution of dynamic resource allocation strategies is affected by the queen-worker conflict in annual eusocial insects. We demonstrate that the time of dispersal of sexuals affects the sex-allocation ratio through sexual selection on males. Furthermore, our model provides three predictions that depart from established results of classic static allocation models. First, we find that the queen wins the sex-allocation conflict, while the workers determine the maximum colony size and colony productivity. Second, male-biased sex allocation and protandry evolve if sexuals

SUBMITTER: Avila P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6593813 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature