Operational sex ratio (Ecology 🏞️)

In the evolutionary biology of sexual reproduction, operational sex ratio is the ratio of sexually competing males that are ready to mate to sexually competing females that are ready to mate, or alternatively the local ratio of fertilizable females to sexually active males at any given time. This differs from physical ...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operational_sex_ratio

#OperationalSexRatio #Ecology #SexRatio #Reproduction #MatingSystems #SexualSelection

Ming-Liu Yang et al. explored whether the degree of pollen limitation primarily drives differences in #MatingSystems and #FloralTraits of #Halenia species.

#OutcrossPollenLimitation | #ReproductiveAssurance | #ReproductiveStrategies

https://doi.org/10.1093/jpe/rtae098

Off to observe sexual conflict in Battersea Park. Tsk tsk, mallards 🦆 and mandarins NOT woke!

Ooh, 😯 territorial conflict going on between rose-ringed parakeets and a Greater spotted woodpecker, over a well defensible hole in the bole of a giant plane tree. The woodpecker held out!

#sexualconflict #birds #matingsystems

Do females benefit from multiple mating?

In a new paper, we collated data across 77 animal species, and found out that females that mate more, typically produce more offspring – and this effect is stronger in the more polyandrous species.

This clearly suggests that #SexualSelection is widespread in females, and plays a role in the evolution of #MatingSystems.

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.3001916