The Role of Sexual Selection in Local Adaptation and Speciation

Sexual selection plays several intricate and complex roles in the related processes of local adaptation and speciation. In some cases sexual selection can promote these processes, but in others it can be inhibitory. We present theoretical and empirical evidence supporting these dual effects of sexua...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inAnnual review of ecology, evolution, and systematics Vol. 48; no. 1; pp. 85 - 109
Main Authors Servedio, Maria R, Boughman, Janette W
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Palo Alto Annual Reviews 02.11.2017
Annual Reviews, Inc
Subjects
Adaptation
assortative mating
Gene flow
Genetics
mate choice
Natural selection
preference
Reproduction
sexual isolation
Sexual selection
Speciation
speciation with gene flow
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Summary:Sexual selection plays several intricate and complex roles in the related processes of local adaptation and speciation. In some cases sexual selection can promote these processes, but in others it can be inhibitory. We present theoretical and empirical evidence supporting these dual effects of sexual selection during local adaptation, allopatric speciation, and speciation with gene flow. Much of the empirical evidence for sexual selection promoting speciation is suggestive rather than conclusive; we present what would constitute strong evidence for sexual selection driving speciation. We conclude that although there is ample evidence that sexual selection contributes to the speciation process, it is very likely to do so only in concert with natural selection.
ISSN:1543-592X
1545-2069
DOI:10.1146/annurev-ecolsys-110316-022905