The influence of gamete phenotype, gamete genotype and behavior on reproductive success in broadcast spawning invertebrates

Florida State University, Tallahassee FL

Investigators

Abstract

Selection via reproductive success can have a major influence on the evolution of traits and patterns of gender dimorphism. Most research has focused on scenarios in which selection is more intense for one gender than the other. Generally, males are thought to compete for mates while females choose among potential mates, resulting in high variance in male reproductive success and low variance in female reproductive success. However, previous work has shown that at some population densities, variance in both male and female success can be high in broadcast spawning marine invertebrates. This project will address the consequences of these patterns for fecundity selection in this primitive mating strategy. Three species of sea urchins will be used to address how spawning behavior, population density, and gamete phenotype and genotype influence reproductive success. Microsatellite markers will be used to establish maternity and paternity of larvae generated from laboratory and field experiments. The relative contributions of gamete recognition proteins and gamete morphology to reproductive success will be assessed, and the consequences of gender differences in spawning behavior in the presence and absence of gamete competition will be examined. This study will provide insight into the resolution of fecundity selection and gender conflict in the sea. Broader impacts will include the training of numerous undergraduate, recent graduate and graduate student assistants. The research program will be used as a mechanism to teach science in undergraduate and graduate courses taught at both at Florida State University and at the Bamfield Marine Sciences Center.