The evolution of phenotypes and genetic parameters under preferential mating

• Published in: Ecology and evolution Vol. 4; no. 13; pp. 2759 - 2776
• Main Authors: Roff, Derek A., Fairbairn, Daphne J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England John Wiley & Sons, Inc 01.07.2014; BlackWell Publishing Ltd
• Subjects: Animal behavior; Animal reproduction; Biological evolution; Coevolution; Computer simulation; Equilibrium; Evolution; Expected values; Females; genetic correlation; Heritability; Lek behavior; Males; mate choice; Mate selection; Mathematical models; Mating; Natural populations; Natural selection; Original Research; Parameters; Phenotypes; Population; preference; Preferences; Quantitative genetics; Sexes; quantitative genetics; genetic correlation; Coevolution; mate choice; preference; heritability
• ISSN: 2045-7758; 2045-7758
• DOI: 10.1002/ece3.1130

This article extends and adds more realism to Lande's analytical model for evolution under mate choice by using individual‐based simulations in which females sample a finite number of males and the genetic architecture of the preference and preferred trait evolves. The simulations show that the equilibrium heritabilities of the preference and preferred trait and the genetic correlation between them (rG), depend critically on aspects of the mating system (the preference function, mode of mate choice, choosiness, and number of potential mates sampled), the presence or absence of natural selection on the preferred trait, and the initial genetic parameters. Under some parameter combinations, preferential mating increased the heritability of the preferred trait, providing a possible resolution for the lek paradox. The Kirkpatrick–Barton approximation for rG proved to be biased downward, but the realized genetic correlations were also low, generally <0.2. Such low values of rG indicate that coevolution of the preference and preferred trait is likely to be very slow and subject to significant stochastic variation. Lande's model accurately predicted the incidence of runaway selection in the simulations, except where preferences were relative and the preferred trait was subject to natural selection. In these cases, runaways were over‐ or underestimated, depending on the number of males sampled. We conclude that rapid coevolution of preferences and preferred traits is unlikely in natural populations, but that the parameter combinations most conducive to it are most likely to occur in lekking species. This article extends and adds more realism to Lande's analytical model for evolution under mate choice using individual‐based simulations in which females sample a finite number of males and the genetic architecture of the preference and preferred trait evolves. The simulations show that the equilibrium heritabilities of the preference and preferred trait and the genetic correlation between them (rG), depend critically on aspects of the mating system (the preference function, mode of mate choice, choosiness, and number of potential mates sampled), the presence or absence of natural selection on the preferred trait, and the initial genetic parameters. Under some parameter combinations, preferential mating increased the heritability of the preferred trait, providing a possible resolution for the lek paradox.