Biology 425

“Battle of the Sexes”

The Ecology and Evolution of Sexual Conflict

Thursdays 1:00-1:50

Rm 205, THM

 

 

Instructor: David F. Westneat

Office: Rm 105, MDR#3

Office hrs: Conferences with me are welcome; please contact me to schedule a time

Phone: 323-9499. E-mail: biodfw@uky.edu

 

Schedule

Week

Reading (available either through Reserves or online)

Presenter

1: 12 Jan

Introduction: What defines the sexes?

Westneat

2: 19 Jan

Packer C, Pusey AE. 1983. Adaptations of female lions to infanticide by incoming males. AMERICAN NATURALIST 121 (5): 716-728.

 

3: 26 Jan

Dale S, Slagsvold T. 1994. Polygyny and deception in the pied flycatcher: Can females determine male mating status? ANIMAL BEHAVIOUR 48 (5): 1207-1217.

 

4: 2 Feb

No Class

 

5: 9 Feb

McLain DK, Pratt AE. 1999. The cost of sexual coercion and heterospecific sexual harrasment ont he fecundity of a host-specific, seed-eating insect (Neacoryphus bicrucis). BEHAVIORAL ECOLOGY AND SOCIOBIOLOGY 46 (3): 164-170.

 

6: 16 Feb

Shine R, et al. 2004. Mechanisms and consequences of sexual conflict in garter snakes (Thamnophis sirtalis: Colubridae). BEHAVIORAL ECOLOGY 15 (4): 654-660.

 

7: 23 Feb

Kaar P, et al. 1998. Sexual conflict and remarriage in preindustrial human populations: Causes and fitness consequences. EVOLUTION AND HUMAN BEHAVIOR 19 (3): 139-151.

 

8: 2 March

Reinhardt K, et al. 2003. Reducing a cost of traumatic insemination: female bedbugs evolve a unique organ. PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF LONDON SERIES B 270 (1531): 2371-2375

 

Morrow EH, Arnqvist G. 2003. Costly traumatic insemination and a female-counter adaptation in bed bugs.PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF LONDON SERIES B 270 (1531): 2377-2381.

 

9: 9 March

Andrade MCB, Gu L, Stoltz JA. 2005. Novel male trait prolongs survival in suicidal mating. BIOLOGY LETTERS 1 (3): 276-279.

 

10: 16 March

Spring Break

 

11: 23 March

Davison A, et al. 2005. Sex and darts in slugs and snails (Mollusca: Gastropoda: Stylommatophora). JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY 267: 329-338.

 

12: 30 March

Pitnick S, Brown WD, Miller GT. 2001. Evolution of remating behaviour following experimental removal of sexual selection. PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF LONDON SERIES B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES 268 (1467): 557-563.

 

13: April 6

Prosen ED et al. 2004. Sexual coercion in a territorial salamander: females punish socially polygynous male partners. ANIMAL BEHAVIOUR 67: 85-92.

 

14: April 13

Fedorka KM, Zuk M. 2005. Sexual conflict and female immune suppression in the cricket, Allonemobious socius. JOURNAL OF EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY 18 (6): 1515-1522. (available from instructor)

 

15: April 20

Promislow D. 2003. Mate choice, sexual conflict, and evolution of senescence. BEHAVIOR GENETICS 33 (2): 191-201.

 

16: April 27

Linklater WL et al. 1999. Stallion harassment and the mating system of horses. ANIMAL BEHAVIOUR 58: 295-306.

 

 

Class Procedures: Biology 425 is a course designed to introduce students to methods of thinking critically about conceptual hypotheses and the data that address them in a focused area. Each week the class will read an article, either a review or a primary scientific paper, and discuss it. Discussion will be lead by a member of the class. The goal of discussions are twofold: 1) to ensure understanding of hypotheses and how they were evaluated by asking questions and attempting answers, and 2) to learn how an existing study can lead to new hypotheses or ideas that need testing.

 

Grading.- Discussion is the focus of this course. Hence grades will be based on three components.

1.      How well you lead the discussion (100 pts). The discussion leader should give a summary of the paper and the ideas it addresses, and then solicit questions/discussion from the class. Good discussion leaders also mediate and guide the discussion.

2.      Attendance (100 pts). Given the goals of the class, attending and being prepared is critical. I will allow two excused absences without penalty, but additional absences will have an effect on the grade. If students are having difficulty attending, please talk to the instructor as alternative assignments may be possible.

3.      Participation (100 pts). To ensure that all students are prepared to participate, each week everyone will turn in a 1 paragraph summary of the reading and 4 questions they had about the material. Students who actually ask these questions in class or offer answers to other students’ questions will score extra points.