Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK.
School of Applied Sciences, Edinburgh Napier University, Edinburgh, UK.
J Evol Biol. 2022 May;35(5):742-751. doi: 10.1111/jeb.14003. Epub 2022 Apr 5.
Sexual selection and sexual conflict are expected to affect all aspects of the phenotype, not only traits that are directly involved in reproduction. Here, we show coordinated evolution of multiple physiological and life-history traits in response to long-term experimental manipulation of the mating system in populations of Drosophila pseudoobscura. Development time was extended under polyandry relative to monogamy in both sexes, potentially due to higher investment in traits linked to sexual selection and sexual conflict. Individuals (especially males) evolving under polyandry had higher metabolic rates and locomotor activity than those evolving under monogamy. Polyandry individuals also invested more in metabolites associated with increased endurance capacity and efficient energy metabolism and regulation, namely lipids and glycogen. Finally, polyandry males were less desiccation- and starvation resistant than monogamy males, suggesting trade-offs between resistance and sexually selected traits. Our results provide experimental evidence that mating systems can impose selection that influences the evolution of non-sexual phenotypes such as development, activity, metabolism and nutrient homeostasis.
性选择和性冲突预计会影响表型的各个方面，而不仅仅是直接涉及繁殖的特征。在这里，我们展示了果蝇拟暗亚种种群中交配系统的长期实验操纵下，多个生理和生活史特征的协同进化。与单配相比，多配时两性的发育时间都延长了，这可能是由于与性选择和性冲突相关的特征的投资增加。多配个体（尤其是雄性）比单配个体具有更高的代谢率和运动活性。多配个体还投入更多与耐力能力和有效能量代谢和调节相关的代谢物，即脂质和糖原。最后，多配雄蝇比单配雄蝇更不耐干燥和饥饿，这表明了抗性和有性选择特征之间的权衡。我们的研究结果提供了实验证据，表明交配系统可以施加选择，从而影响发育、活动、代谢和营养稳态等非性表型的进化。
