Sexual selection and speciation in the Anthropocene

Abstract

Anthropogenic change threatens global biodiversity by causing severe ecological disturbance and extinction. Here, we consider the effects of anthropogenic change on one process that generates biodiversity. Sexual selection (a potent evolutionary force and driver of speciation) is highly sensitive to the environment and, thus, vulnerable to anthropogenic ecological change. Anthropogenic alterations to sexual display and mate preference can make it harder to distinguish between conspecific and heterospecific mates or can weaken divergence via sexual selection, leading to higher rates of hybridization and biodiversity loss. Occasionally, anthropogenically altered sexual selection can abet diversification, but this appears less likely than biodiversity loss. In our rapidly changing world, a full understanding of sexual selection and speciation requires a global change perspective.

Keywords

anthropogenic change; condition-dependent display; diversification; global change biology; mate choice

Published in

Trends in ecology & evolution
2024, volume: 39, number: 7, pages: 654-665

SLU Authors

• Brand, Jack

  • Department of Wildlife, Fish and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    
  • Monash University

UKÄ Subject classification

Zoology
Evolutionary Biology

Publication identifier

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tree.2024.02.005

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/128955