Chapman Tracey
School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich NR4 7TJ, UK.
Curr Biol. 2006 Sep 5;16(17):R744-54. doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2006.08.020.
Sexual conflict arises from differences in the evolutionary interests of males and females and can occur over traits related to courtship, mating and fertilisation through to parental investment. Theory shows that sexual conflict can lead to sexually antagonistic coevolution (SAC), where adaptation in one sex can lead to counter-adaptation in the other. Thus, sexual conflict can lead to evolutionary change within species. In addition, SAC can--through its effects on traits related to the probability of mating and of zygote formation--potentially lead to reproductive isolation. In this review, I discuss that, although sexual conflict is ubiquitous, the actual expression of sexual conflict leading to SAC is less frequent. The balance between the benefits and costs of the manipulation of one sex by the other, and the availability of mechanisms by which conflict is expressed, determine whether actual sexual conflict is likely to occur. New insights address the relationship between sexual conflict and conflict resolution, adaptation, sexual selection and fitness. I suggest that it will be useful to examine systematically the parallels and contrasts between sexual and other evolutionary conflicts. Understanding why some traits, but not others, are subject to evolutionary change by SAC will require data on the mechanisms of the traits involved and on the relative benefits and costs of manipulation and resistance to manipulation.
性冲突源于雄性和雌性在进化利益上的差异，可能发生在从求偶、交配、受精到亲代投资等相关性状上。理论表明，性冲突会导致性对抗协同进化（SAC），即一个性别的适应性变化会引发另一个性别的反适应性变化。因此，性冲突会导致物种内部的进化改变。此外，性对抗协同进化通过其对与交配概率和受精卵形成相关性状的影响，可能会导致生殖隔离。在这篇综述中，我讨论了虽然性冲突普遍存在，但导致性对抗协同进化的性冲突实际表现却不那么常见。一个性别对另一个性别的操控所带来的收益与成本之间的平衡，以及表达冲突的机制是否可用，决定了实际的性冲突是否可能发生。新的见解涉及性冲突与冲突解决、适应、性选择和适合度之间的关系。我认为系统地研究性冲突与其他进化冲突之间的异同将很有帮助。要理解为什么某些性状会受到性对抗协同进化导致的进化改变，而其他性状却不会，需要有关所涉性状机制以及操控和抵抗操控的相对收益与成本的数据。
