Eutrophication and predation risk interact to affect sexual trait expression and mating success.

摘要: Sexual traits are especially sensitive to low food resources. Other environmental parameters (e.g., predation) should also affect sexual trait expression by favoring investment in viability rather than traits. We know surprisingly little about how predators alter traits, or predator and resource environments interact investment. explored increasing phosphorous (P) availability, at a level mimicking cultural eutrophication, affects the development of sexual, nonsexual, amphipods presence absence predators. growth were hypersensitive P compared nonsexual However, key responded only when cues absent. Furthermore, trade-offs between occurred was low. The phenotypic changes caused increased availability resulted higher male mating success. Thus, eutrophication not but masks trade-off with similar demand. Sensitivity sexually selected P, combined important roles these play determining fitness driving speciation, suggests that human-induced change can greatly evolutionary trajectories populations.