Adaptive plasticity in mate preference linked to differences in reproductive effort

摘要: There is abundant evidence for the existence of marked mate preferences in natural populations, but occurrence within-population variation has received little attention1,2,3 and often regarded as nonadaptive deviation from optimal norm2,3. Here we show experimentally that preference female collared flycatchers Ficedula albicollis male forehead patch size, a sexually selected trait4,5,6, varies with time breeding, an environmental factor strong effects on reproductive success. Contrary to expectations based time-constrained choice models7,8, only late-breeding females prefer males large size. The matches seasonal change success: long-term data reveal positive relationship between success size exclusively late breeders. In addition, effort, assessed by clutch appears be adjusted relative both timing breeding phenotype. We conclude not can display adaptive plasticity within this also linked differences investment.