Project Details
Description
I will test whether the traits that make males attractive to females are honest indicators of genetic quality. Taking a novel approach, I will use a mutagen to directly manipulate male genetic quality in two insect species and observe the effects on sexually selected male traits. Theory predicts that honest indicators of genetic quality will be relatively sensitive to mutations compared with other traits, responding strongly and at low levels of increased mutational load. I will also use experimental lines with and without sexual selection to investigate whether sexual selection can remove induced harmful mutations.
Status | Finished |
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Effective start/end date | 1/09/08 → 31/08/11 |
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