Behavioral and Molecular Ecology Group, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Lapham Hall, 3209 N. Maryland Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53201, USA.
Proc Biol Sci. 2013 May 22;280(1763):20130803. doi: 10.1098/rspb.2013.0803. Print 2013 Jul 22.
Patterns of phenotypic variation arise in part from plasticity owing to social interactions, and these patterns contribute, in turn, to the form of selection that shapes the variation we observe in natural populations. This proximate-ultimate dynamic brings genetic variation in social environments to the forefront of evolutionary theory. However, the extent of this variation remains largely unknown. Here, we use a member of the Enchenopa binotata species complex of treehoppers (Hemiptera: Membracidae) to assess how mate preferences are influenced by genetic variation in the social environment. We used full-sibling split-families as 'treatment' social environments, and reared focal females alongside each treatment family, describing the mate preferences of the focal females. With this method, we detected substantial genetic variation in social influence on mate preferences. The mate preferences of focal females varied according to the treatment families along with which they grew up. We discuss the evolutionary implications of the presence of such genetic variation in social influence on mate preferences, including potential contributions to the maintenance of genetic variation, the promotion of divergence, and the adaptive evolution of social effects on fitness-related traits.
表型变异模式部分源于社会互动引起的可塑性，这些模式反过来又影响了选择的形式，从而塑造了我们在自然种群中观察到的变异。这种近因-终极动态将社会环境中的遗传变异推到了进化理论的前沿。然而，这种变异的程度在很大程度上仍然未知。在这里，我们使用一种树蝉（半翅目：膜翅目）的 Enchenopa binotata 种复合体成员来评估配偶偏好是如何受到社会环境中遗传变异的影响。我们使用全同胞分家庭作为“处理”社会环境，并在每个处理家庭旁边饲养焦点雌性，描述焦点雌性的配偶偏好。通过这种方法，我们检测到社会影响对配偶偏好的遗传变异很大。焦点雌性的配偶偏好根据与它们一起长大的处理家庭而有所不同。我们讨论了社会影响对配偶偏好的遗传变异的存在所带来的进化意义，包括对遗传变异维持、促进分化以及对与适应相关的特征的社会影响的适应性进化的潜在贡献。
