Readings

Question 1

(West & Sheldon, 2002) – Wasps and Sex Allocation

Answer 1

• Mechanisms of sex determination do not necessarily constrain the evolution of sex ratio adjustment.
• Multiple constraints determine the precision of adaptation.

Question 2

(Pizzari & Birkhead, 2000) – Chickens and sperm ejection

Answer 2

Females bias sperm retention in favour of preferred male phenotypes. They eject ejaculates according to male status (mostly that of subordinate males).

Question 3

(Wigby & Chapman, 2004) – Drosophila and Sexual Conflict

Answer 3

Females from high sexual conflict lines live longer in the presence of males than females from low conflict lines.

Question 4

(Kilner, 1997) – Chicks and Mouth Colour

Answer 4

When the mouth colour of a nestling was artificially reddened with food colouring, parents gave it more food.

Question 5

(Brodin et al., 2014) – Pharmaceuticals in Aquatic Systems

Answer 5

Effect of psychiatric drug on perch and its prey (damselfly). Found that perch became more active while the damselfly was unaffected, and that prey consumption is an important exposure route, via bioaccumulation.