Details

Autor(en) / Beteiligte

• Reinhold, K.

Titel

Maintenance of a genetic polymorphism by fluctuating selection on sex‐limited traits

Ist Teil von

• Journal of evolutionary biology, 2000-11, Vol.13 (6), p.1009-1014

Ort / Verlag

Oxford UK: Blackwell Science Ltd

Erscheinungsjahr

2000

Quelle

Electronic Journals Library

Beschreibungen/Notizen

• Fluctuating selection is often thought to be ineffective in maintaining a genetic polymorphism except when generations overlap, for example when a seed bank causes a storage effect. Here, I demonstrate that fluctuating selection on sex‐limited traits automatically includes such a ‘storage effect’ because sex‐limited alleles are shielded from selection in the sex where they are not expressed. With analytical calculations and numerical simulations I show that fluctuating selection can maintain a genetic polymorphism in sex‐limited traits. Such a protected polymorphism can reduce the cost of sex when female‐limited traits are involved. But, this effect will probably be small compared to the two‐fold advantage of asexual reproduction unless many polymorphic loci interact or exceptionally strong environmental fluctuations are present. It is argued that genetic polymorphisms maintained by fluctuating selection on sex‐limited traits may partly explain the large genetic variance of traits under strong sexual selection.