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Although many studies on Syrians in Turkey reveal that there is a widespread reaction that Syrian women adorn themselves in an excessive way and believed that this habit is due to their desire to acquire local men, none has specifically addressed the issue. The article tries to fill this gap to some extent by putting the subject under discussion. In the study handled the subject with the dimension of "sexual competition", which is though discussed widely with its biological and psychological dimensions, but not so much draw attention in sociology, anthropology, and feminist studies. As a part of Darwin's theory of "sexual selection", “sexual competition” has been used to describe certain behaviors common to many living species, so its human (sociological) dimension has remained in the background. Although in many living species to be physiologically strong or to have some biological characteristics that will attract the attention of the opposite sex, yield an important advantage in sexual competition, humans have many other tools such as money, prestige and status that compensate them. To this end, the subject is discussed through Pierre Bourdieu's conceptualization of "capital". Another important problem of the biocentric view is that it identifies sexual competition more with men. One reason for this identification is that the competition between women is often presented in a way that does not come into serious conflict with the patriarchal codes that regard passive and chaste women as persona grata. To explain this point, the subject is discussed in the context of James Scott's idea of "passive resistance". A second aim of the study is to open the feminist silence about the phenomenon up for discussion. At this point, is questioned the role of the historically constructed patriarchal tendency ignoring female subjectivity in terms of sexuality on this silence. Thirdly, is to reveal the cultural differences in the way sexual competition is experienced. Thus, it aims to understand the socio-historical background underlying the victimization of local women, which is generally perceived through the accusation of Syrian women., Türkiye’deki Suriyeliler üzerine yapılmış birçok çalışma, Suriyeli kadınların çok fazla süslendiklerine, bu alışkanlığın altında da onların yerli erkekleri elde etme isteği olduğuna dair yaygın bir tepkinin olduğunu ortaya koysa da konuyu özel olarak ele alan bir çalışma henüz verilmiş değildir. Makale, konuyu tartışmaya açmakla bu boşluğu bir nebze doldurma gayretindedir. Çalışmada konu, biyolojik ve psikolojik boyutuyla çokça tartışılmasına rağmen, sosyoloji, antropoloji ve feminist çalışmalarda pek fazla ilgi gösterilmeyen “cinsel rekabet” boyutuyla ele alınmaktadır. Çalışmanın üç amacı bulunmaktadır: Birincisi, olguya sosyolojik bir çerçeve çizmektir. Darwin’in “cinsel seçim” kuramının bir parçası olan “cinsel rekabet”, daha ziyade birçok canlı türünde ortak olan bazı davranışları tanımlamak için kullanıldığından insana özgü (sosyolojik) boyutu geri planda kalmıştır. Her ne kadar birçok canlı türünde cinsel rekabette fizyolojik olarak güçlü olmak ya da karşı cinsin dikkatini cezbedecek bazı biyolojik vasıflara sahip olmak önemli bir avantaj sağlasa da insanlar bunların yerine ikame eden para, prestij, mevki gibi daha birçok araca sahiptir. Bu anlamda konu, Pierre Bourdieu’nun “sermaye” kavramlaştırması üzerinden ele alınmaktadır. Biyoloji-merkezli bakışın diğer önemli bir sorunu da cinsel rekabeti daha çok erkekle özdeşleştirmesidir. Bu özdeşliğin bir nedeni de kadınlar arası rekabetin çoğunlukla, pasif ve iffetli kadını makbul sayan ataerkil kodlarla ciddi bir çelişkiye girmeyecek şekilde verilmesidir. Bu noktayı açıklamak için konu James Scott’un “pasif direniş” fikri bağlamında tartışılmaktadır. Çalışmanın ikinci bir amacı ise, olguya dair feminist suskunluğu tartışmaya açmaktır. Bu noktada, tarihsel olarak inşa edilen ataerkilliğin cinsel anlamda kadın öznelliğini yadsıması eğiliminin söz konusu suskunluk üzerindeki rolü sorgulanmaktadır. Üçüncü olarak da cinsel rekabetin yaşanma biçimine dönük kültürel farklılıkları ortaya koymaktır. Böylelikle, genelde Suriyeli kadının suçlanması üzerinden algılanan yerli kadın mağduriyetinin altındaki sosyo-tarihsel arka planının anlaşılmasını amaçlamaktadır.

Females dominate a subset of the males in a minority of mammalian species despite male-biased sexual dimorphism. How this may arise is suggested by a computational model, DomWorld. The model represents male-biased sexual dimorphism through the males’ greater initial dominance and higher intensity of aggression, meaning that fights initiated by males have a greater impact than those by females. The model shows that female dominance over males increases with a greater proportion of males in the group. This happens because when males are involved in a larger fraction of fights this results in greater hierarchical differentiation (i.e., steepness). This causes rank overlap between the sexes (i.e., partial female dominance). We test the validity of these processes in vervet monkeys (Cercopithecus pygerythrus), a primate species with partial female dominance. We confirm that the proportion of males in the group is significantly positively correlated with the degree of dominance by females over males and with the steepness of the hierarchy among males exclusively, but not with the steepness of the hierarchy among all adults of the group. The steepness in male hierarchies correlated positively with female dominance over males in these groups. We show that steeper hierarchies among vervet males resulted from male-to-male fights being a larger proportion of the fights among all adults of the group. We conclude that the higher frequency of male intrasexual aggression favors female dominance in vervet monkeys. We also show that females received coalitionary support when they were in conflict with a male, mainly from other females, and that this favors female dominance in this species, but this does not explain why partial female dominance increased with the proportion of males in the group. We advocate further investigation of the influence of male intrasexual aggression on the degree of female dominance over males in other species with partial female dominance.

Females dominate a subset of the males in a minority of mammalian species despite male-biased sexual dimorphism. How this may arise is suggested by a computational model, DomWorld. The model represents male-biased sexual dimorphism through the males’ greater initial dominance and higher intensity of aggression, meaning that fights initiated by males have a greater impact than those by females. The model shows that female dominance over males increases with a greater proportion of males in the group. This happens because when males are involved in a larger fraction of fights this results in greater hierarchical differentiation (i.e., steepness). This causes rank overlap between the sexes (i.e., partial female dominance). We test the validity of these processes in vervet monkeys (Cercopithecus pygerythrus), a primate species with partial female dominance. We confirm that the proportion of males in the group is significantly positively correlated with the degree of dominance by females over males and with the steepness of the hierarchy among males exclusively, but not with the steepness of the hierarchy among all adults of the group. The steepness in male hierarchies correlated positively with female dominance over males in these groups. We show that steeper hierarchies among vervet males resulted from male-to-male fights being a larger proportion of the fights among all adults of the group. We conclude that the higher frequency of male intrasexual aggression favors female dominance in vervet monkeys. We also show that females received coalitionary support when they were in conflict with a male, mainly from other females, and that this favors female dominance in this species, but this does not explain why partial female dominance increased with the proportion of males in the group. We advocate further investigation of the influence of male intrasexual aggression on the degree of female dominance over males in other species with partial female dominance.

Females dominate a subset of the males in a minority of mammalian species despite male-biased sexual dimorphism. How this may arise is suggested by a computational model, DomWorld. The model represents male-biased sexual dimorphism through the males’ greater initial dominance and higher intensity of aggression, meaning that fights initiated by males have a greater impact than those by females. The model shows that female dominance over males increases with a greater proportion of males in the group. This happens because when males are involved in a larger fraction of fights this results in greater hierarchical differentiation (i.e., steepness). This causes rank overlap between the sexes (i.e., partial female dominance). We test the validity of these processes in vervet monkeys (Cercopithecus pygerythrus), a primate species with partial female dominance. We confirm that the proportion of males in the group is significantly positively correlated with the degree of dominance by females over males and with the steepness of the hierarchy among males exclusively, but not with the steepness of the hierarchy among all adults of the group. The steepness in male hierarchies correlated positively with female dominance over males in these groups. We show that steeper hierarchies among vervet males resulted from male-to-male fights being a larger proportion of the fights among all adults of the group. We conclude that the higher frequency of male intrasexual aggression favors female dominance in vervet monkeys. We also show that females received coalitionary support when they were in conflict with a male, mainly from other females, and that this favors female dominance in this species, but this does not explain why partial female dominance increased with the proportion of males in the group. We advocate further investigation of the influence of male intrasexual aggression on the degree of female dominance over males in other species with partial female dominance.

Females dominate a subset of the males in a minority of mammalian species despite male-biased sexual dimorphism. How this may arise is suggested by a computational model, DomWorld. The model represents male-biased sexual dimorphism through the males’ greater initial dominance and higher intensity of aggression, meaning that fights initiated by males have a greater impact than those by females. The model shows that female dominance over males increases with a greater proportion of males in the group. This happens because when males are involved in a larger fraction of fights this results in greater hierarchical differentiation (i.e., steepness). This causes rank overlap between the sexes (i.e., partial female dominance). We test the validity of these processes in vervet monkeys (Cercopithecus pygerythrus), a primate species with partial female dominance. We confirm that the proportion of males in the group is significantly positively correlated with the degree of dominance by females over males and with the steepness of the hierarchy among males exclusively, but not with the steepness of the hierarchy among all adults of the group. The steepness in male hierarchies correlated positively with female dominance over males in these groups. We show that steeper hierarchies among vervet males resulted from male-to-male fights being a larger proportion of the fights among all adults of the group. We conclude that the higher frequency of male intrasexual aggression favors female dominance in vervet monkeys. We also show that females received coalitionary support when they were in conflict with a male, mainly from other females, and that this favors female dominance in this species, but this does not explain why partial female dominance increased with the proportion of males in the group. We advocate further investigation of the influence of male intrasexual aggression on the degree of female dominance over males in other species with partial female dominance.

In this repository there are R scripts and dataset to reproduce results and figures from our paper and Supplementary Material.

The continuously increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration ([CO2]) has substantial effects on plant growth, and on the composition and structure of forests. However, how plants respond to elevated [CO2] (e[CO2]) under intra- and interspecific competition has been largely overlooked. In this study, we employed Abies faxoniana Rehder & Wilson and Picea purpurea Mast. seedlings to explore the effects of e[CO2] (700 p.p.m.) and plant–plant competition on plant growth, physiological and morphological traits, and leaf ultrastructure. We found that e[CO2] stimulated plant growth, photosynthesis and nonstructural carbohydrates (NSC), affected morphological traits and leaf ultrastructure, and enhanced water- and nitrogen (N)- use efficiencies in A. faxoniana and P. purpurea. Under interspecific competition and e[CO2], P. purpurea showed a higher biomass accumulation, photosynthetic capacity and rate of ectomycorrhizal infection, and higher water- and N-use efficiencies compared with A. faxoniana. However, under intraspecific competition and e[CO2], the two conifers showed no differences in biomass accumulation, photosynthetic capacity, and water- and N-use efficiencies. In addition, under interspecific competition and e[CO2], A. faxoniana exhibited higher NSC levels in leaves as well as more frequent and greater starch granules, which may indicate carbohydrate limitation. Consequently, we concluded that under interspecific competition, P. purpurea possesses a positive growth and adjustment strategy (e.g. a higher photosynthetic capacity and rate of ectomycorrhizal infection, and higher water- and N-use efficiencies), while A. faxoniana likely suffers from carbohydrate limitation to cope with rising [CO2]. Our study highlights that plant–plant competition should be taken into consideration when assessing the impact of rising [CO2] on the plant growth and physiological performance.

In a few species, males invest more than females in parental care while the females invest in mating competition and producing multiple broods for several mates. Species in the family Jacanidae are commonly used for studying this type of breeding system (called sex-role reversal), and previous studies found discrepancies and variation between species in the expected characteristics of reversed sex roles. Yet, a better understanding of sex role differences in breeding behavior in such species is crucial for disentangling possible evolutionary mechanisms leading to this peculiar breeding system. Sex-role reversal in the pheasant-tailed jacana Hydrophasianus chirurgus has been documented long time ago. Since the very early observation of this species, however, there was no attempt to provide a comprehensive and quantitative description of their breeding. This study aims to fill these knowledge gaps by investigating the sex role differences in the breeding behavior of pheasant-tailed jacanas, by observing and monitoring a breeding population in Taiwan. We focused on three main characteristics of sex-role reversal: (1) competition between females for access to males, such as agonistic and courtship behaviors, (2) polyandrous mating, and (3) male-only care. As expected, we found that females provide most of the territory defense toward conspecifics. Males also participated in agonistic behaviors, although less frequently than females. Furthermore, contrary to what was expected, we found that males spent more time than females on courtship behavior. Polyandrous females performed mating and laying sequentially with different mates but maintained the pair bonds simultaneously with multiple males. For the first time for the species, we could estimate that the average number of mates per female (i.e., degree of polyandry) was 2.4 and that at least 81.8% of the females in the population were polyandrous. Finally, our observations corroborated that brood care is predominantly provided by males, nevertheless females were also participating to some degree in brood attendance but never in direct care (i.e., brooding). This study highlights that some aspects of polyandrous breeding might deviate from stereotyped view on sex-role reversal, and stress the importance of further within species and comparative studies in order to fully understand the mechanisms leading to sex-role reversal.

Animals pass information about their sexual availability and quality as a mate with sexual signals. The evolution of sexual signals is also affected by the preference of choosing mates and the properties of the signaling environment. Under the effects of these factors, signalers often have to compete over the limited number of potential mates, leading to the most attractive individuals to be more likely selected than others. However, those with lower mate attraction success may take advantage on other signalers or the signaling environment to increase their mate attraction probabilities. Although sexual signals and competition are more prominent in males than in females, females have a wide range of sexual signals they may use in competition over mates. In my thesis, I study how the social and visual environment affects female sexual signaling. I use field and laboratory experiments, as well as field measurements, to investigate how the light environment and the relative signal intensity of a competitor affect the use and properties of a visual female sexual signal. As my study species, I use the European common glow-worm (Lampyris noctiluca) whose flightless females glow at night to attract flying males. Large females produce brighter glow, which is preferred by males. The results show that female sexual signals are shaped by both social and visual environments, but also by the characteristics of signalers. A rival affected the signaling location, as females increased the distance to a brighter competitor. A dimmer rival did not affect signaling location, but the onset of glowing was significantly later when the distance to the rival at the start of the experiment was shorter. Moreover, with a competitor, the onset of glowing depended on body size so that large females started to glow earlier. Body size and glow intensity increased towards the north, which likely maintains the female visibility to males in the bright summer nights of higher latitudes. My results suggest that females may be able to assess their attractiveness in relation to others and change their signaling behavior accordingly. Signaling environments, in turn, may cause selection pressure to increase visibility to males, causing a latitudinal cline in signal intensity and body size. Tiivistelmä Eläimet viestivät seksuaalisten signaalien avulla lisääntymisvalmiudestaan ja laadustaan parittelukumppanina. Signaalien kehittymiseen vaikuttavat kuitenkin myös valikoivien kumppaniehdokkaiden mieltymykset sekä signalointiympäristön ominaisuudet. Näiden vaikuttavien tekijöiden lomassa signaloijien on usein kilpailtava niukemmasta määrästä kumppaneita, jolloin houkuttelevimmat yksilöt valikoituvat muita herkemmin. Heikommin menestyvät voivat kuitenkin käyttää kilpailijoita tai ympäristöä hyväkseen lisääntyäkseen. Vaikka seksuaalisignaalit ja -kilpailu ovat huomattavampia koirailla kuin naarailla, naarailla on monipuolinen joukko signaaleja, joita ne voivat käyttää kilpaillakseen parittelukumppaneista. Väitöskirjassani tutkin, kuinka sosiaalinen ja visuaalinen ympäristö vaikuttavat naaraan seksuaaliseen signalointiin. Tutkin kenttä- ja laboratoriokokein sekä kenttämittauksin, kuinka kilpailijoiden kirkkaus ja valoympäristön ominaisuudet vaikuttavat naaraan visuaalisen seksuaalisignaalin käyttöön ja ominaisuuksiin. Käytän tutkimuslajina kiiltomatoa (Lampyris noctiluca), jonka naaraat loistavat öisin houkutellakseen lentäviä koiraita. Suuret naaraat tuottavat kirkkaamman loisteen, jota koiraat suosivat. Tulokseni osoittavat, että naaraiden seksuaaliseen signalointiin vaikuttavat sekä sosiaalinen että visuaalinen ympäristö, mutta myös signaloijien ominaisuudet. Kilpailija vaikutti signalointipaikan valintaan, kun naaraat kasvattivat etäisyyttä kirkkaampaan kilpailijaan. Himmeämpi kilpailija vaikutti signalointipaikan sijasta -aikaan naaraiden loistaessa myöhemmin, kun etäisyys kilpailijaan kokeen alussa oli lyhyempi. Lisäksi signalointiajankohta kilpailijan läsnä ollessa riippui ruumiinkoosta niin, että suuret naaraat loistivat aiemmin. Loisteen kirkkaus sekä naaraan koko kasvoivat pohjoista kohti, mikä todennäköisesti ylläpitää naaraan näkyvyyttä koiraille kirkkaissa kesäöissä. Tulokseni antavat ymmärtää, että naaraat saattavat kyetä tunnistamaan houkuttelevuutensa suhteessa muihin naaraisiin ja muuttamaan signalointikäyttäytymistään sen mukaan, niiden ruumiin koon myös vaikuttaessa signalointiin. Signalointiympäristö voi puolestaan aiheuttaa valintapaineen olla näkyvämpi koiraille, synnyttäen pohjois-eteläsuuntaisen trendin signaalin voimakkuudessa ja ruumiin koossa.

Male nonhuman primate sexual interference, which includes copulation interruption and copulation harassment, has been related to reproductive success, but its significance has been challenging to test. Copulation interruption results in the termination of a copulation before ejaculation, whereas copulation harassment does not. We conducted this study using the all-occurrence behavior sampling method on sexual interference behaviors of seven adult and four subadult male Tibetan macaques (Macaca thibetana) in mating and non-mating seasons at Mt. Huangshan, China, from August 2016 to May 2017. Our results showed that males’ individual proportion of copulation interruption and harassment was higher during the mating season than during the non-mating season. In addition, dominant males more often performed interruption, whereas subordinate males more often performed harassment. We found no difference in the individual proportion of copulation interruption or harassment between adult and subadult males. Adult and subadult males both directed copulation interruption and harassment more often toward the mating male than toward the mating female. Lastly, the post-ejaculation phase of copulation was shorter when copulation harassment occurred than when it did not. Our results suggest that sexual interference may be an important mating tactic that adult and subadult males use in male–male sexual competition.

Simple Summary Sexual interference behaviors (interruption/harassment) by male nonhuman primates can lead copulating individuals to separate and is hypothetically a form of male–male competition for access to sexually receptive females. Tibetan macaques (Macaca thibetana) provide an example of male sexual interference that can be used to discuss the sexual competition hypothesis. We found male sexual interference in this species showed significant seasonal variation. Age did not affect the proportion or type of interference behaviors that a male performed, but his social status did. Dominant males more often interrupted copulations. Subordinate males more often directed harassment behaviors toward dominant males, which reduced copulation duration, especially the post-ejaculatory phase of copulation. Our results suggest that sexual interference (interruption or harassment) may be a tactic to reduce the mating success of other males by either preventing ejaculation or reducing the duration of the post-ejaculatory phase, which is critical for sperm transport and, thus, reproductive success. Abstract Male nonhuman primate sexual interference, which includes copulation interruption and copulation harassment, has been related to reproductive success, but its significance has been challenging to test. Copulation interruption results in the termination of a copulation before ejaculation, whereas copulation harassment does not. We conducted this study using the all-occurrence behavior sampling method on sexual interference behaviors of seven adult and four subadult male Tibetan macaques (Macaca thibetana) in mating and non-mating seasons at Mt. Huangshan, China, from August 2016 to May 2017. Our results showed that males’ individual proportion of copulation interruption and harassment was higher during the mating season than during the non-mating season. In addition, dominant males more often performed interruption, whereas subordinate males more often performed harassment. We found no difference in the individual proportion of copulation interruption or harassment between adult and subadult males. Adult and subadult males both directed copulation interruption and harassment more often toward the mating male than toward the mating female. Lastly, the post-ejaculation phase of copulation was shorter when copulation harassment occurred than when it did not. Our results suggest that sexual interference may be an important mating tactic that adult and subadult males use in male–male sexual competition.

The stress gradient hypothesis predicts that plant-plant interactions switch between facilitation (positive) and competition (negative) along environmental gradients, with facilitation being more common under high abiotic stress conditions relative to more moderate abiotic stress conditions. Our aim was to reveal, whether the interactions between Populus purdomii Rehder and Salix rehderiana Schneider switch from positive to negative during the early stages of primary succession in the Gongga Mountain glacier retreat region. We also investigated, whether soil age is a major driving factor for the transformation of interactions between neighboring plants. We analyzed differences between intraspecific interactions and interspecific interactions of Populus and Salix under 20- and 40-year-old soil conditions, including plant biomass accumulation and allocation, nutrient absorption and utilization, relative competition intensity, non-structural carbohydrates, foliar carbon and nitrogen isotope composition, mesophyll cell ultrastructure, soil microbial biomass and community structure, extracellular enzyme activities, and soil organic carbon (SOC), soil total nitrogen (TN), soil ammonium (NH4+-N), and soil nitrate (NO3--N) contents. We found that P. purdomii and S. rehderiana growing under interspecific interactions had greater contents of aboveground dry matter, belowground dry matter and total dry matter compared to intraspecific interactions in 20-year-old soil. Furthermore, in 40-year-old soil conditions, the phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) analysis showed that Populus and Salix exposed to interspecific interactions exhibited lower amounts of gram-positive bacteria, fungi (18,1 omega 9c) and actinomycetes, and lower levels of total PLFAs than those growing under intraspecific interactions. The redundancy analysis (RDA) results demonstrated that soil N was the most important parameter contributing to the composition of microbial communities. In addition, the N-15 stable isotope labeling method showed that Populus and Salix growing under interspecific interactions had higher foliage delta N-15 derived from NO3- (delta N-15-NO3-) than those growing under intraspecific interactions in 20-year-old soil. In summary, our results demonstrated that Populus-Salix interactions exhibited positive effects on survival in 20-year-old soil. Conversely, under 40-year-old soil conditions, Populus-Salix interactions presented negative effects in relation to nutrients and elimination by neighboring plants. Moreover, soil age is a major driving factor for plant-plant interactions that shift from positive to negative with an increasing soil age in the Gongga Mountain glacier forefield. In all, our results support the stress gradient hypothesis. Our findings improve understanding of plant-plant interactions and plant-soil feedbacks during the early stages of soil development, and of the construction of vegetation communities.

Habitat fragmentation and reduction in the availability of suitable habitats are significant threats to ecosystems in particularly for freshwater ones. For instance, accessibility, availability, and quality of breeding sites of Atlantic salmon, \textit{Salmo salar}, can be restricting in some rivers due to human activities and dams. Such threats may affect distribution of potential breeders because after their up-river migration, salmon females distribute within available breeding sites. Spatial distribution of females determines the spatial distribution of breeder males. Dominant males try to monopolise several females, whereas subordinate males adopt a sneaky behaviour. Access to females by males depends on the spatial distribution of females and on males' displacements within a river. The spatial distribution of females generates the spatial distribution of juveniles, aggregating them at some breeding sites. The latter aggregation of juveniles may raise the density-dependent mortality with potential consequences on population dynamics. The thesis aims to assess how space use of potential breeders, namely mature individuals able to spawn or fertilise eggs, influence population dynamics and sexual selection.I combined different approaches and different temporal and spatial scales to potential effects of space use of potential breeders. Time series of stock (deposited eggs) and of recruitment (juveniles) for the salmon population of the Nivelle River were combined with measures of spatial aggregation of nests. The effects of displacements and spatial distribution of potential breeders on their participation in reproduction were tested through inferring the sexual network of the population.I found that spatial aggregation of nests improved the recruitment variability but did not affect the average recruitment. The spatial aggregation of nests resulting from female aggregation was also linked to the number of effective breeders through a U-shaped curve. Such relationships suggested mate monopolization dependent on the spatial aggregation of females. The negative effect of the spatial isolation of females on their number of mates also suggest such mate monopolization. Then, the inferred sexual network enabled me to highlight a local social structure within the population. The latter structure and social competitors impacted the reproductive success of anadromous males. The participation of mature parr was one of the factors diminishing the sexual competition faced by anadromous males. Finally, mature parr were more mobile and moved more upstream than immature parr. Spatial behaviours of mature parr were linked to their participation in reproduction, individuals exhibiting wider home ranges had a higher probability to encounter females.Altogether my results show that space use of potential breeders affect both population dynamics and sexual selection. Then, spatial aggregation of females and of their nests can be beneficial for population dynamics as shown by combining different temporal and spatial scales. Females seemed to aggregate within the best breeding sites with a better environmental stability. The spatial distribution of females affected the ability of males to monopolise several females and participation of sneaky males. The availability of suitable good breeding habitats seemed restricting in the Nivelle, potentially due to the presence of impassable upstream dams. The lack of suitable breeding sites seemed impacting the mating system of the population and the sexual selection operating in. Some management actions to improve the quality of breeding sites and their availability could be planned; La fragmentation des habitats ainsi que la réduction de leur disponibilité sont des menaces importantes pour les écosystèmes, notamment aquatiques. La disponibilité et la qualité des sites de fraie du saumon Atlantique peut donc être limitante dans certaines rivières. Après la migration en rivière, les femelles saumon vont chercher à s'établir dans un des sites de fraie disponibles. La distribution spatiale des femelles va alors influer sur la distribution spatiale des mâles reproducteurs qui vont chercher soit à monopoliser plusieurs femelles (pour les mâles dominants), soit à les approcher en adoptant un comportement "furtif" (pour les mâles satellites). L'accès des mâles aux femelles va donc dépendre de la distribution spatiale des femelles et des déplacements des mâles dans la rivière. La distribution des femelles va également jouer sur la distribution spatiale des juvéniles, les concentrant à certains endroits. Cette concentration peut augmenter la mortalité densité-dépendante qui modifie la dynamique de la population. Cette thèse avait pour but d'évaluer comment l'utilisation de l'espace des potentiels reproducteurs, c'est à dire les individus matures, influence la dynamique de la population et la sélection sexuelle.Des séries temporelles de stock (oeufs déposés) et de recrutement (juvéniles) pour la population de saumon de la Nivelle ont été associées à des mesures de l'agrégation spatiale des nids creusés par les femelles. L'effet des déplacements et de la distribution des reproducteurs sur leur participation à la reproduction a notamment été testé via la reconstruction du réseau d'interactions sexuelles dans la Nivelle.J'ai ainsi démontré que l'agrégation spatiale des nids influa sur la variabilité du recrutement mais pas sur le recrutement moyen. Cette agrégation qui résulte de l'agrégation des femelles a également été liée au nombre de reproducteurs ayant engendrés des juvéniles. Le réseau d'interactions sexuelles a permis de mettre en évidence une structure sociale locale au sein de la population. Cette structure et les compétiteurs présents pouvaient par exemple diminuer le succès reproducteur des mâles. Notamment, les tacons matures qui participent à la reproduction avant de migrer en mer renforçaient la compétition sexuelle dont les mâles dominants faisaient l'objet. Enfin, ces mêmes tacons matures adoptèrent des comportements spatiaux du fait de leur statut de maturité avec des individus bougeant peu et des individus se déplaçant vers l'amont. Ces comportements spatiaux influaient leur participation à la reproduction, l'étendue des domaines de vie et les déplacements vers l'amont augmentaient la probabilité de rencontrer une femelle.Mes résultats m'ont permis de mettre en évidence l'effet de l'utilisation de l'espace des potentiels reproducteurs sur la dynamique de la population et sur la sélection sexuelle. Ainsi, en combinant différentes échelles spatiales et temporelles il a été montré que l'agrégation des femelles pouvait être bénéfique pour la dynamique de la population. Il semble que les femelles tendent à s'agréger d'abord sur les meilleurs sites de fraie avec une plus forte stabilité environnementale. Cette distribution des femelles affecta la capacité des mâles à monopoliser plusieurs femelles, une agrégation modérée permettant une monopolisation. La participation des mâles furtifs anadromes ou tacons matures était également dépendante de l'agrégation des femelles. Il apparait que la disponibilité d'habitats adéquats pour la reproduction semble limitante dans la Nivelle et notamment du fait de la présence de barrages. Ce manque semble affecter le système d'appariement de la population et la sélection sexuelle y opérant. Des mesures visant à améliorer la qualité des sites de fraie déjà disponibles ainsi que leur accessibilité pourraient être envisagées

It remains unclear how global climate change affects dioecious plants that may be especially vulnerable to climate drivers, because they often exhibit skewed sex ratios and eco-physiological specialization in certain microhabitats. In this study, female and male saplings of Populus cathayana were employed to explore sex-specific responses and the effects of sexual competition under elevated temperature (ET), elevated CO2 (EC) and combination of elevated temperature and CO2 (ETC). The results demonstrated that elevated temperature and CO2 interactively modulated sexual competition and responses of P. cathayana. Moreover, competition patterns affected the eco-physiological responses of P. cathayana to climate change treatments. Under both intra- and inter-sexual competition, biomass components, photosynthetic parameters and carbon-related metabolites of females were most strongly affected by ET, while males exhibited a higher photosynthesis and resource use efficiency, and a better biomass accumulation and carbon balance mechanism when compared to females when experiencing intra-sexual competition under EC. The competitive pressure of females on males in inter-sexual competition was intensified by ET, while it was alleviated by ETC. We conclude that climate change drivers and competition patterns differently regulate the sex-specific responses and competitive intensity of males and females, which may have a crucial effect on sex ratios, spatial sexual segregation, biomass production and carbon sequestration in dioecious species in the future.

Knowledge of how competition and facilitation affect photosynthetic traits and nitrogen metabolism contributes to understanding of plant-plant interaction mechanisms. We transplanted two larch species, Larix kaempferi and L. olgensis, to establish intra- and interspecific interaction experiments under different types of soil. Experiment 1: Two different soil types were selected, one from a c. twenty years old L. kaempferi plantation (named larch soil) and another from a secondary natural forest (named mixed forest soil). The experiment included three types of plant interactions (L kaempferi + L. kaempferi, L. olgensis + L. olgensis, and L. kaempferi + L. olgensis) and two soil types. Experiment 2: N fertilization was applied to larch soil. The experiment included the same three types of plant interactions as in Experiment 1 and two N treatments. The growth of L kaempferi was negatively affected by larch soil and accelerated by N fertilization, particularly under interspecific interaction. The effects of soil type combined with plant-plant interactions or N fertilization influenced the chlorophyll pigment content, net photosynthetic rate (Pn), photosynthetic N use efficiency (PNUE) and total non-structural carbohydrates of leaves (TNC). CM a/Chl b (ratio of chlorophyll a to chlorophyll b) was higher when the growth of L. kaempferi was facilitated by the presence of L olgensis in mixed forest soil. However, the ratio significantly declined when L. kaempferi confronted strong competition from L. olgensis in larch soil without N fertilization. Under N fertilization in larch soil, Chl a/Chl b of L. olgensis significantly increased by the presence of L. kaempferi. Plant-plant interactions and soil types affected the number of chloroplasts, especially in L. kaempferi, which had a greater number of chloroplasts under interspecific interactions than in monoculture when growing in mixed forest soil. L. olgensis enhanced its ability to absorb N-NO3- under interspecific interactions in larch N- soil, while L. kaempferi enhanced its ability to absorb N-NH4+ under interspecific competition in mixed forest soil. Competition or facilitation modified the photosynthetic traits and nitrogen metabolism depending on the type of soil. Differences in these physiological processes contribute to divergent performance among individuals growing under interspecific or intraspecific competition, or in isolation.

Habitat fragmentation and reduction in the availability of suitable habitats are significant threats to ecosystems in particularly for freshwater ones. For instance, accessibility, availability, and quality of breeding sites of Atlantic salmon, \textit{Salmo salar}, can be restricting in some rivers due to human activities and dams. Such threats may affect distribution of potential breeders because after their up-river migration, salmon females distribute within available breeding sites. Spatial distribution of females determines the spatial distribution of breeder males. Dominant males try to monopolise several females, whereas subordinate males adopt a sneaky behaviour. Access to females by males depends on the spatial distribution of females and on males' displacements within a river. The spatial distribution of females generates the spatial distribution of juveniles, aggregating them at some breeding sites. The latter aggregation of juveniles may raise the density-dependent mortality with potential consequences on population dynamics. The thesis aims to assess how space use of potential breeders, namely mature individuals able to spawn or fertilise eggs, influence population dynamics and sexual selection.I combined different approaches and different temporal and spatial scales to potential effects of space use of potential breeders. Time series of stock (deposited eggs) and of recruitment (juveniles) for the salmon population of the Nivelle River were combined with measures of spatial aggregation of nests. The effects of displacements and spatial distribution of potential breeders on their participation in reproduction were tested through inferring the sexual network of the population.I found that spatial aggregation of nests improved the recruitment variability but did not affect the average recruitment. The spatial aggregation of nests resulting from female aggregation was also linked to the number of effective breeders through a U-shaped curve. Such relationships suggested mate monopolization dependent on the spatial aggregation of females. The negative effect of the spatial isolation of females on their number of mates also suggest such mate monopolization. Then, the inferred sexual network enabled me to highlight a local social structure within the population. The latter structure and social competitors impacted the reproductive success of anadromous males. The participation of mature parr was one of the factors diminishing the sexual competition faced by anadromous males. Finally, mature parr were more mobile and moved more upstream than immature parr. Spatial behaviours of mature parr were linked to their participation in reproduction, individuals exhibiting wider home ranges had a higher probability to encounter females.Altogether my results show that space use of potential breeders affect both population dynamics and sexual selection. Then, spatial aggregation of females and of their nests can be beneficial for population dynamics as shown by combining different temporal and spatial scales. Females seemed to aggregate within the best breeding sites with a better environmental stability. The spatial distribution of females affected the ability of males to monopolise several females and participation of sneaky males. The availability of suitable good breeding habitats seemed restricting in the Nivelle, potentially due to the presence of impassable upstream dams. The lack of suitable breeding sites seemed impacting the mating system of the population and the sexual selection operating in. Some management actions to improve the quality of breeding sites and their availability could be planned; La fragmentation des habitats ainsi que la réduction de leur disponibilité sont des menaces importantes pour les écosystèmes, notamment aquatiques. La disponibilité et la qualité des sites de fraie du saumon Atlantique peut donc être limitante dans certaines rivières. Après la migration en rivière, les femelles saumon vont chercher à s'établir dans un des sites de fraie disponibles. La distribution spatiale des femelles va alors influer sur la distribution spatiale des mâles reproducteurs qui vont chercher soit à monopoliser plusieurs femelles (pour les mâles dominants), soit à les approcher en adoptant un comportement "furtif" (pour les mâles satellites). L'accès des mâles aux femelles va donc dépendre de la distribution spatiale des femelles et des déplacements des mâles dans la rivière. La distribution des femelles va également jouer sur la distribution spatiale des juvéniles, les concentrant à certains endroits. Cette concentration peut augmenter la mortalité densité-dépendante qui modifie la dynamique de la population. Cette thèse avait pour but d'évaluer comment l'utilisation de l'espace des potentiels reproducteurs, c'est à dire les individus matures, influence la dynamique de la population et la sélection sexuelle.Des séries temporelles de stock (oeufs déposés) et de recrutement (juvéniles) pour la population de saumon de la Nivelle ont été associées à des mesures de l'agrégation spatiale des nids creusés par les femelles. L'effet des déplacements et de la distribution des reproducteurs sur leur participation à la reproduction a notamment été testé via la reconstruction du réseau d'interactions sexuelles dans la Nivelle.J'ai ainsi démontré que l'agrégation spatiale des nids influa sur la variabilité du recrutement mais pas sur le recrutement moyen. Cette agrégation qui résulte de l'agrégation des femelles a également été liée au nombre de reproducteurs ayant engendrés des juvéniles. Le réseau d'interactions sexuelles a permis de mettre en évidence une structure sociale locale au sein de la population. Cette structure et les compétiteurs présents pouvaient par exemple diminuer le succès reproducteur des mâles. Notamment, les tacons matures qui participent à la reproduction avant de migrer en mer renforçaient la compétition sexuelle dont les mâles dominants faisaient l'objet. Enfin, ces mêmes tacons matures adoptèrent des comportements spatiaux du fait de leur statut de maturité avec des individus bougeant peu et des individus se déplaçant vers l'amont. Ces comportements spatiaux influaient leur participation à la reproduction, l'étendue des domaines de vie et les déplacements vers l'amont augmentaient la probabilité de rencontrer une femelle.Mes résultats m'ont permis de mettre en évidence l'effet de l'utilisation de l'espace des potentiels reproducteurs sur la dynamique de la population et sur la sélection sexuelle. Ainsi, en combinant différentes échelles spatiales et temporelles il a été montré que l'agrégation des femelles pouvait être bénéfique pour la dynamique de la population. Il semble que les femelles tendent à s'agréger d'abord sur les meilleurs sites de fraie avec une plus forte stabilité environnementale. Cette distribution des femelles affecta la capacité des mâles à monopoliser plusieurs femelles, une agrégation modérée permettant une monopolisation. La participation des mâles furtifs anadromes ou tacons matures était également dépendante de l'agrégation des femelles. Il apparait que la disponibilité d'habitats adéquats pour la reproduction semble limitante dans la Nivelle et notamment du fait de la présence de barrages. Ce manque semble affecter le système d'appariement de la population et la sélection sexuelle y opérant. Des mesures visant à améliorer la qualité des sites de fraie déjà disponibles ainsi que leur accessibilité pourraient être envisagées

Males of many butterfly species secrete long-lasting mating plugs to prevent their mates from copulating with other males, thus ensuring their sperm will fertilize all future eggs laid. Certain species have further developed a greatly enlarged, often spectacular, externalized plug, termed a sphragis. This distinctive structure results from complex adaptations in both male and female genitalia and is qualitatively distinct from the amorphous, internal mating plugs of other species. Intermediate conditions between internal plug and external sphragis are rare. The term sphragis has often been misunderstood in recent years, hence we provide a formal definition based on accepted usage throughout most of the last century. Despite it being a highly apparent trait, neither the incidence nor diversity of the sphragis has been systematically documented. We record a sphragis or related structure in 273 butterfly species, representing 72 species of Papilionidae in 13 genera, and 201 species of Nymphalidae in 9 genera. These figures represent respectively, 13% of Papilionidae, 3% of Nymphalidae, and 1% of known butterfly species. A well-formed sphragis evolved independently in at least five butterfly subfamilies, with a rudimentary structure also occurring in an additional subfamily. The sphragis is probably the plesiomorphic condition in groups such as Parnassius (Papilionidae: Parnassiinae) and many Acraeini (Nymphalidae: Heliconiinae). Some butterflies, such as those belonging to the Parnassius simo group, have apparently lost the structure secondarily. The material cost of producing the sphragis is considerable. It is typically offset by production of a smaller spermatophore, thus reducing the amount of male-derived nutrients donated to the female during mating for use in oogenesis and/or somatic maintenance. The sphragis potentially represents one of the clearest examples of mate conflict known. Investigating its biology should yield testable hypotheses to further our understanding of the selective processes at play in an ‘arms race’ between the sexes. This paper provides an overview, which will inform future study.

Firm matching of genitals during copulation is of critical importance to effective insemination and thus, gene flow. During the evolution of insects, an effective position during copulation promoted higher fecundity through control over the act of mating or elimination of competitors. Usually during insect copulation, either twisting or flexing of the male abdomen occurs, and genitals remain symmetrically or asymmetrically disposed following changes in the mating position. However, it is always the dorsal side of the male genitalia that makes contact with the ventral side of female abdomen. Here we present the unusual case of a ‘belly-to-belly’ copulation, with symmetrically positioned male genitals and no twisting of the abdomen. During the mating of two species in the Stomaphis genus of large, tree dwelling aphids, the dwarfish male is attached to the underside of the female, with the ventral part of its genitals contacting the ventral part of female abdomen, and the aedeagus effectively inserted into the femal

After being kept in captivity and isolated from natural predators for more than 1,200 years, Père David’s deer has been reintroduced in China and now occurs in a reserve where human activity is the only potential threat. Antipredator vigilance is an important component of survival for many prey animals in their natural habitat. Do deer still adjust vigilance as a function of risk after such a long period of relaxed predation pressure? Here, we examined vigilance levels in Père David’s deer groups as a function of group size, sex and level of human disturbance. The results showed that individual vigilance significantly decreased with group size in all-female groups but not in all-males or mixed-sex groups. In rutting season, males compete with one another and harass females, and we argue that vigilance is partly aimed at threatening males and that such vigilance increases with group size. This explains why overall vigilance did not vary with group size for males in general and for females in mixed-sex groups. Vigilance increased in more disturbed areas but in in male deer only. The results indicate that despite relaxed predation pressure over centuries, Père David’s deer can still adjust antipredator responses as a function of perceived risk. Such information may become useful in the rewilding programme now under way for this species in China [Current Zoology 59 (2): 265–270, 2013].

The minute pirate bugs, Orius insidiosus (Say) and Orius pumilio (Champion) (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Anthocoridae), are closely related species known to be sympatric in north Florida. Here, male and female genitalia, DNA sequences, and the effects of within- and between-species pairings on egg production and egg development were examined to develop a better understanding of the relationship between these two species. Interspecific matings between the two species did not result in viable progeny. Although there were gross similarities in the morphology of the male parameres (external genitalia) between the two species, the cone in O. pumilio was much broader with a greater spiral twist and the flagellum was longer than in O. insidiosus. Correspondingly, there were differences in the morphology of the copulatory tubes of the females of the two species. In O. insidiosus, the organ was somewhat longer than in O. pumilio and oriented parallel to the abdominal midline, while the copulatory tube in O. pumilio tilted slightly towards the midline. Additionally, the copulatory tube for O. pumilio included a sclerotized basal mound that was not present in O. insidiosus. These morphological differences suggest that successful copulation between these species could be difficult. In contrast to conspecific matings, interspecific matings resulted in few or no eggs laid over a period of two weeks and no viable progeny. Comparison of the 18S ribosomal gene ITS-1 sequences between the two species demonstrated only 91% homology. When yolk protein contents were examined to determine whether reproductive physiology had shifted to full egg production, interspecifically mated females contained amounts of yolk protein comparable to that in fed, but unmated females; this was less than 10% of the yolk protein previously found in fed and conspecifically mated females. These findings together confirm that O. insidiosus and O. pumilio are indeed two separate species.

This article reviews several most important evolutionary mechanisms that underlie eating disorders. The first part clarifies evolutionary foundations of mental disorders and various mechanisms leading to their development. In the second part selective pressures and evolved adaptations causing contemporary epidemic of obesity as well as differences in dietary regimes and life-style between modern humans and their ancestors are described. Concerning eating disorders, a number of current evolutionary explanations of anorexia nervosa are presented together with their main weaknesses. Evolutionary explanations of eating disorders based on the reproductive suppression hypothesis and its variants derived from kin selection theory and the model of parental manipulation were elaborated. The sexual competition hypothesis of eating disorder, adapted to flee famine hypothesis as well as explanation based on the concept of social attention holding power and the need to belonging were also explained. The importance of evolutionary theory in modern conceptualization and research of eating disorders is emphasized.

Intense reproductive competition and social instability are assumed to increase concentrations of glucocorticoids and androgens in vertebrates, as a means of coping with these challenges. In seasonally breeding redfronted lemurs (Eulemur fulvus rufus), the mating and the birth season and the associated increased male competition are predicted to pose such reproductive challenges. In this paper, we investigate seasonal variation in hormone excretion in male redfronted lemurs, and examine whether this variation is associated with social or ecological factors. Although dominance status has been shown to affect individual stress levels across many taxa, we predicted no rank-related differences in glucocorticoids for redfronted lemurs because relatively equal costs are associated with both high and low rank positions (based on patterns of rank acquisition/maintenance and threats toward subordinates). Over a 14-month period, we collected behavioral data (1843 focal hours) and 617 fecal samples from 13 redfronted lemur males in Kirindy Forest/Madagascar. We found no general rank-related pattern of testosterone or glucocorticoid excretion in this species. Both hormones were excreted at significantly higher levels during the mating and the birth season, despite social stability during both periods. The elevated mating season levels may be explained by increased within-group reproductive competition during this time and are in line with previous studies of other seasonally reproducing primates. For the birth season increase, we propose that the predictable risk of infanticide in this highly seasonal species affects male gonadal and adrenal endocrine activity. We evaluate alternative social and ecological factors influencing the production of both hormone classes and conclude based on our preliminary investigations that none of them can account for the observed pattern.

Background: Studies of sexual conditioning typically focus on the development of conditioned responses to a stimulus that precedes and has become associated with a sexual unconditioned stimulus (US). Such a sexually conditioned stimulus (CS) provides the opportunity for feed-forward regulation of sexual behavior, which improves the efficiency and effectiveness of the sexual activity. Objective and Design: The present experiments were conducted to provide evidence of such feed-forward regulation of sexual behavior in laboratory studies with domesticated quail by measuring how many fertilized eggs were produced by the female after the sexual encounter. During the conditioning phase, male and female quail received a conditioned stimulus paired with the opportunity to copulate with each other. Results: Sexual conditioning increased the number of eggs that were fertilized as a consequence of copulation, especially if both the male and the female were exposed to the sexual CS. This conditioned fertility effect occurred with a range of CS durations and CS types. The conditioned fertility effect also occurred in situations involving sexual competition. When two males copulated with the same female, DNA fingerprinting showed that the male whose sexual encounter was signaled by a sexual CS was responsible for most of the resulting offspring. Sexual conditioning also reduced the first-male disadvantage in fertilization that occurs when two males copulate with the same female separated by several hours. Another significant finding was that sexual conditioning attenuated the usual drop in fertilization rate that occurs when the same male copulates with two females in succession. Conclusion: These results show that sexual conditioning increases the number of offspring that are produced in both isolated male-female encounters and in situations that involve two males copulating with the same female or one male copulating with more than one female. By increasing fertilization rates, sexual conditioning can alter genetic transmission across generations and shape evolutionary change. Keywords: sexual conditioning; sexual learning; conditioned fertility; sexual competition; quail; pavlovian conditioning (Published: 15 March 2012) Citation: Socioaffective Neuroscience & Psychology 2012, 2 : 17333 - DOI: 10.3402/snp.v2i0.17333

Background Sexual morphological features are known to be associated with the mating systems of several animal groups. However, it has been suggested that morphological features other than sexual characteristics could also be constrained by the mating system as a consequence of negative associations. Schistosomatidae are parasitic organisms that vary in mating system and can thus be used to explore links between the mating system and negative associations with morphological features. Results A comparative analysis of Schistosomatidae morphological features revealed an association between the mating system (monogamous versus polygynandrous) and morphological characteristics of reproduction, nutrition, and locomotion. Conclusions The mating system drives negative associations between somatic and sexual morphological features. In monogamous species, males display a lower investment in sexual tissues and a higher commitment of resources to tissues involved in female transport, protection, and feeding assistance. In contrast, males of polygynandrous species invest to a greater extent in sexual tissues at the cost of reduced commitment to female care.

Size advantage in male–male competition over mates, combined with male preference over large females, is a common feature that can drive to size assortative mating and, eventually, sexual se lection. In crabs, appendage autotomy can a V ect assortative mating and opportunity for sexual selection by a V ecting size advantage in mating contests. In this work, we evaluate the e V ect of size and appendage autotomy in generating assortative mating in the mud crab Cyrtograpsus angulatus . Field observations of guarding pairs in two di V erent populations show a positive correlation between carapace width of males and females in both the populations. In one of the populations, incidence of appendage autotomy was low and the variability in the size of reproductive males was lower than the variability in the size of randomly collected males (i.e. only larger males were successful in getting a female), whereas there was no di V erences in the other population (i.e. most male sizes were successful) where the incidence of appendage autot- omy was very high, indicating that the importance of size is higher when the incidence of autotomy is low. In this con- text, experiments (in both populations) show that, in con- tests for a female, larger males outcompete smaller ones only when they had intact appendages. When males had missing chelipeds, winning or loosing against smaller males was random. This may lead to a decrease in the importance of male size in populations with high incidence of cheliped autotomy, a V ecting assortative mating and opportunity for selection and, thus, a V ecting selective pressures. Fil: Daleo, Pedro. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata; Argentina Fil: Luppi, Tomas Atilio. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata; Argentina Fil: Mendez Casariego, Maria Agustina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata; Argentina Fil: Escapa, Carlos Mauricio. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Bahía Blanca. Instituto Argentino de Oceanografía. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Instituto Argentino de Oceanografía; Argentina Fil: Ribeiro, Pablo Damián. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata; Argentina Fil: Silva, Paola Valeria. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata; Argentina Fil: Iribarne, Oscar Osvaldo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata; Argentina

In the Kanzawa spider mite, Tetranychus kanzawai (Acari: Tetranychidae), adult males guard pre-reproductive quiescent females. I experimentally examined the effects of density experience during development and/or after adult emergence on precopulatory mate guarding behavior by T. kanzawai males. Mate guarding behavior was modified by density experience after adult emergence. When males had previously experienced high density after adult emergence (n = 71), 73.2% of them engaged in precopulatory mate guarding. In contrast, when males had previously experienced low density after adult emergence (n = 82), 61.0% of them did not guard females. Mate guarding with physical contact occurred more frequently when males had previously experienced a high density of potential rivals than when they had not, but the difference in behavior between the two groups of males was marginally not significant. Nevertheless, these results suggest overall that T. kanzawai males change mate guarding behavior in response to previously experienced density.

This article reviews several most important evolutionary mechanisms that underlie eating disorders. The first part clarifies evolutionary foundations of mental disorders and various mechanisms leading to their development. In the second part selective pressures and evolved adaptations causing contemporary epidemic of obesity as well as differences in dietary regimes and life-style between modern humans and their ancestors are described. Concerning eating disorders, a number of current evolutionary explanations of anorexia nervosa are presented together with their main weaknesses. Evolutionary explanations of eating disorders based on the reproductive suppression hypothesis and its variants derived from kin selection theory and the model of parental manipulation were elaborated. The sexual competition hypothesis of eating disorder, adapted to flee famine hypothesis as well as explanation based on the concept of social attention holding power and the need to belonging were also explained. The importance of evolutionary theory in modern conceptualization and research of eating disorders is emphasized.

Made available in DSpace on 2022-04-29T08:43:00Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 1997-12-01 The grass-cutting ant Acromyrmex balzani conducts nuptial flights at dusk, often during light rain. The daily timing of flights is invariant, but annual occurrence is dependent upon meterological conditions. Males form aggregations over shrubs or other prominent objects, into which females fly to be mated. These aggregation sites are used perennially. Sexual competition among males is intense, with an average of 4 males simultaneously competing for access to each female in a mating ball. Multiple matings of females are common. The male genetial capsule is detatched and retained in the female genetalia upon mating, and females remove these prior to flying to mate again. Females found colonies independently and are not claustral. Departamento de Ecologia Instituto de Biociências Universidade Estatual Paulista, 13506-900 Rio Claro, São Paulo

Firm matching of genitals during copulation is of critical importance to effective insemination and thus, gene flow. During the evolution of insects, an effective position during copulation promoted higher fecundity through control over the act of mating or elimination of competitors. Usually during insect copulation, either twisting or flexing of the male abdomen occurs, and genitals remain symmetrically or asymmetrically disposed following changes in the mating position. However, it is always the dorsal side of the male genitalia that makes contact with the ventral side of female abdomen. Here we present the unusual case of a ‘belly-to-belly’ copulation, with symmetrically positioned male genitals and no twisting of the abdomen. During the mating of two species in the Stomaphis genus of large, tree dwelling aphids, the dwarfish male is attached to the underside of the female, with the ventral part of its genitals contacting the ventral part of female abdomen, and the aedeagus effectively inserted into the female genital organs. Interestingly, congeneric species do not exhibit this sort of mating, but differences in the genital plates of females, between species, may play an important role. These observations raise many questions concerning the possible dominant role of the female during mating and later, during mate guarding by male, which can lead to monandry in this generally polyandrous group of insects. It is possible that this sort of mating is either an adaptation to the competitive behaviour of other males or a consequence of the obligatory mutualistic relationship with ants, and the adaptation to specialised ecological niches enforced by this relationship. If ants do influence the mating habits of Stomaphis then it is possible that speciation in this group of insects, and phytophagous insects generally, is partially driven by their relationship with ants.