Abstract
Understanding what processes shape the formation of species’ geographic range limits is one central objective linking ecology and evolutionary biology. One potentially key process is sexual selection; yet, theory examining how sexual selection could shape eco-evolutionary dynamics in marginal populations is still lacking. In species with separate sexes, range limits could be shaped by limitations in encountering mates at low densities. Sexual selection could
therefore modulate mate limitation and resulting extinction-colonisation dynamics at range margins, through evolution of mate encounter ability and/or mate competition traits, and their demographic consequences. We use a spatially explicit eco-genetic model to reveal how different forms of sexual selection can variably affect emerging range limits. Larger ranges emerged when sexual selection acted exclusively on traits increasing mate encounter probability, thus reducing female’s mate limitation towards the range margins. In contrast,
sexual selection via mate competition narrowed range limits due to increased trait-dependent mortality in males and elevated mate limitation for females. When mate encounter coevolved with mate competition, their combined effects on range limits depended on the mating system (polygyny versus monogamy). Our results demonstrate that evolution of species’ ranges may be importantly shaped by feedbacks between sexual selection and spatial population demography and dynamics.
therefore modulate mate limitation and resulting extinction-colonisation dynamics at range margins, through evolution of mate encounter ability and/or mate competition traits, and their demographic consequences. We use a spatially explicit eco-genetic model to reveal how different forms of sexual selection can variably affect emerging range limits. Larger ranges emerged when sexual selection acted exclusively on traits increasing mate encounter probability, thus reducing female’s mate limitation towards the range margins. In contrast,
sexual selection via mate competition narrowed range limits due to increased trait-dependent mortality in males and elevated mate limitation for females. When mate encounter coevolved with mate competition, their combined effects on range limits depended on the mating system (polygyny versus monogamy). Our results demonstrate that evolution of species’ ranges may be importantly shaped by feedbacks between sexual selection and spatial population demography and dynamics.
Original language | English |
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Number of pages | 42 |
Journal | Evolution |
Early online date | 18 Mar 2024 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | E-pub ahead of print - 18 Mar 2024 |
Bibliographical note
Open Access via the OUP AgreementAcknowledgments: We thank Luke Holman and Natalie Pilakouta for insightful comments that improved the manuscript draft. MT and GB were funded by the Royal Society through GB’s University Research Fellowship (UF160614) and Research Fellows Enhancement Award (RGF\EA\180184). JMR was supported by Research Council of Norway (SFF-III, project 223257) and NTNU. Simulations were performed using the Maxwell Computing Cluster at the University of Aberdeen.
Data Availability Statement
Data Accessibility Statement: Software code is publicly available via a Zenodo repository https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.8335029 . Simulation output is available via a Dryad repository https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.2547d7wzz and processing and data visualizing scripts are available via https://zenodo.org/records/10702090Keywords
- Sexual selection
- range limits
- evolution
- mate limitation
- sexual traits
- intraspecific interactions
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Data from: Sexual selection and mate limitation shape evolution of species’ range limits
Tschol, M. (Creator), Bocedi, G. (Creator) & Reid, J. (Creator), DRYAD, 2024
DOI: 10.5061/dryad.2547d7wzz, https://datadryad.org/stash/dataset/doi:10.5061/dryad.2547d7wzz
Dataset