Projects / Programmes
Sources of selection on reciprocal male-female interactions in vibrational signalling
| Code |
Science |
Field |
Subfield |
| 1.03.01 |
Natural sciences and mathematics |
Biology |
Zoology and zoophysiology |
| Code |
Science |
Field |
| B005 |
Biomedical sciences |
Zoology |
| Code |
Science |
Field |
| 1.06 |
Natural Sciences |
Biological sciences |
Sexual selection, vibrational communication, duetting, preference, adaptability, temperature, signal production, calling effort, energetic cost
Researchers (1)
| no. |
Code |
Name and surname |
Research area |
Role |
Period |
No. of publicationsNo. of publications |
| 1. |
34501 |
PhD Anka Kuhelj |
Biology |
Head |
2017 - 2019 |
43 |
Organisations (1)
| no. |
Code |
Research organisation |
City |
Registration number |
No. of publicationsNo. of publications |
| 1. |
0105 |
National Institute of Biology |
Ljubljana |
5055784 |
13,278 |
Abstract
Traditionally, sexual selection studies focused primarily on male sexual displays, male-male competition and female choice; however, more recent evidence suggests that sexual selection acts on both sexes and that there is selection on females to influence male behaviour and selection on males to attend to female responses and adjust their behaviour accordingly. Sexual communication based on acoustic signals often involves a coordinated exchange of air-borne or substrate-borne acoustic signals, usually termed duetting. Reciprocal exchange of signals between the sexes is particularly common among arthropods relying on vibrational communication and is likely to have important influence on dynamics of sexual selection and its role in speciation; however, the role of female signals is still rarely systematically studied and almost nothing is known about sources of selection on female vibrational signals.
In the proposed postdoc project, I will address the questions about selection on reciprocal vibrational interactions in the leafhopper Aphrodes makarovi (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae). The primary objective is to investigate the hypothesis that in duetting systems females also bear a cost of sexual signalling and that to minimize the costs they are attentive to the partner and adjust their signals accordingly. In this species, the duration of the female reply has profound effects on male mate-searching behaviour and thus contributing to male’s lifetime reproductive success and such communication system provides an ideal opportunity to explore the importance of female signals in male-female reciprocal dynamics.
I will use behavioural, physiological and morphological approaches to address two specific hypotheses: (I) the emission of female vibrational replies is energetically costly and (II) females adjust the duration of their replies according to (a) the structure of male advertisement call, (b) male searching behaviour and (c) female competitors. In order to obtain data needed to understand vibrational signals and associated costs in more detail, I will also examine the mechanisms of signal production in both sexes of this species. Using such integrative approach and combining the results of the proposed postdoc project with the existing information on the male’s costs associated with high calling effort, will allow us for the first time, to directly compare male and female costs of sexual signalling. I expect to reveal the significance of a potentially major, but so far largely overlooked factor influencing dynamics of sexual selection.
Significance for science
The need to increase the diversity of species included in the studies of sexual selection has been stressed recently. It is crucial that study species provide new insights and understanding of the behavioural, physiological and evolutionary dynamics involved in mating systems. In this respect, more detailed work on diverse, but hitherto largely neglected groups like leafhoppers may provide invaluable empirical data to address some general questions about processes driving the evolution of sexual communication system. At present, we are only beginning to examine the importance of male-female reciprocal interactions during the reproductive process and vibrational communication systems, in which duetting between partners is especially common, may well provide much needed empirical data. For example, in the proposed project we will be able to directly compare the energetic costs associated with signalling in males and females of the same species. Ultimately, we expect to reveal the significance of a potentially major, but so far largely overlooked factor influencing dynamics of sexual selection.
In addition, this project is to our knowledge, the first recent comprehensive study on vibration producing mechanism in leafhoppers, as well as planthoppers. These results will provide invaluable, but currently lacking information needed to improve our understanding of vibrational communication in these diverse and also economically important groups of insects.
Significance for the country
The proposed postdoc project is primarily a basic research project; however, some of its results can be applied also to potential problems arising from climate change to global warming, either due to increased interspecific interference resulting from temperature dependent temporal and frequency signal parameters or by the effects of temperature on mate searching. Leafhoppers are the most important vectors of plant diseases and higher temperatures may also lead to better reproductive performance; however, currently, there is very little available information about the effects of temperature on mating behaviour and mate-location.
Most important scientific results
Interim report,
final report
Most important socioeconomically and culturally relevant results
Interim report,
final report
