Condition and context dependent mating traits

Abstract

Male’s fitness depends on both mating success and competitive fertilization success. Both of these traits can be influenced operational sex ratio, density, environmental condition, social condition, etc. Understanding the interactions between those factors will help us gain more knowledge about sexual selection. In this study, we aim to understand how environmental and social variation shapes both pre- and post-mating sexual selection, and male investments in sexually selected traits. For that, we have used Drosophila melanogaster and Drosophila prolongata as our model organisms. Using different populations of both species, we conducted experiments on environmental condition or/ and social context dependent mating traits. In the first chapter, we looked at sperm competitive ability, a post-mating traits and how that is influenced by change in density, a novel environmental condition. And, in the second experiment, we looked at the effect of condition and social context on pre- mating courtship behaviour in fruit fly.