The role of genotype‐by‐environment interactions in sexual selection

Abstract

Genotype‐by‐environment interactions (GxEs) in naturally selected traits have been extensively studied, but the impact of GxEs on sexual selection has only recently begun to receive attention. Here, we review recent models and consider how GxEs might affect the evolution of sexual traits through influencing sexual signal reliability and also how GxEs may influence variation in sexually selected traits and the process of reproductive isolation. We then assess the current empirical literature on GxEs in sexual selection and conclude by highlighting areas that need additional work. Research on GxEs and sexual selection is an important new area of study for the discipline, which has largely focused on relatively simple mate choice/competition scenarios to date. Investigators now need to apply this knowledge to more complex, but realistic, situations, to more fully explore the evolution of sexual traits, and in this review we suggest potentially useful directions for future research.

Demography can favour female-advantageous alleles

“…Conversely, models of sexual conflict rarely consider genotype  environment interactions (while mate choice studies do so more commonly, [27]). There is clearly more scope for studies linking these fields.…”

Mate choice for major histocompatibility complex genetic divergence as a bet-hedging strategy in the Atlantic salmon ( Salmo salar )

“…At present, only a few empirical studies conducted on model systems have been able to examine the potential role of temporally or spatially variable natural selection pressures on adaptive mate choice (see [30] for a review). Nevertheless, a growing number of population genetics studies point to the likely importance of temporal variation in selection on MHC evolution (e.g.…”

The Cytoplasm Affects the Epigenome in Drosophila melanogaster

“…The idea that gene-environment interactions (GxE), not the genotype (G) alone, underpin the expression of the phenotype is now well established [1][2][3]. Based on this GxE→P idea, we and others developed a more general concept based on systems biology stating that G is an inheritance system that includes other interacting and heritable components including the epigenome and cytoplasmic components such as mitochondria, Wolbachia, and viruses [4][5][6][7].…”