Evol Ecol Res 18: 459-475 (2017)     Full PDF if your library subscribes.

Sibling diversity gives sexual reproduction the advantage in a changing environment

Makoto Douge and Yoh Iwasa

Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan

Correspondence: M. Douge, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Kyushu University, Motooka 744, Nishi-ku, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan. email: makotodouge@gmail.com

ABSTRACT

Background: Intense competition among siblings may favour sexual reproduction because phenotypic diversity is higher among sexual siblings than asexual siblings. However, previous theoretical studies concluded that competition among sibs is ineffective at promoting sexual reproduction.

Question: What are the conditions required for sib-competition to favour sexual reproduction?

Search method: Mathematical and numerical analyses of the model. We identify the mechanisms that reduce the advantage of sex.

Key assumptions: Sexual reproduction generates phenotypic diversity among siblings, whereas asexual reproduction doubles the reproductive rate. The virtual habitat consists of many patches, each with different environmental conditions. Only one individual – the most adapted – survives in each patch.

Conclusions: A greater number of environmental factors and variation of the fitness achieved by adapted phenotypes favour sexual reproduction. Intense sibling competition is likely to be an important process for maintaining sex.

Keywords: heterogeneous environment, sib-competition, two-fold cost of sex.

DOWNLOAD A FREE, FULL PDF COPY
IF you are connected using the IP of a subscribing institution (library, laboratory, etc.)
or through its VPN.

 

        © 2017 Makoto Douge. All EER articles are copyrighted by their authors. All authors endorse, permit and license Evolutionary Ecology Ltd. to grant its subscribing institutions/libraries the copying privileges specified below without additional consideration or payment to them or to Evolutionary Ecology, Ltd. These endorsements, in writing, are on file in the office of Evolutionary Ecology, Ltd. Consult authors for permission to use any portion of their work in derivative works, compilations or to distribute their work in any commercial manner.

       Subscribing institutions/libraries may grant individuals the privilege of making a single copy of an EER article for non-commercial educational or non-commercial research purposes. Subscribing institutions/libraries may also use articles for non-commercial educational purposes by making any number of copies for course packs or course reserve collections. Subscribing institutions/libraries may also loan single copies of articles to non-commercial libraries for educational purposes.

       All copies of abstracts and articles must preserve their copyright notice without modification.