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http://hdl.handle.net/10773/21073
Title: | Forced monogamy in a multiply mating species does not impede colonisation success |
Author: | Deacon, Amy E. Barbosa, Miguel Magurran, Anne E. |
Keywords: | invasive species mesocosms poecilia reticulata polyandry population viability |
Issue Date: | 2014 |
Publisher: | BioMed Central |
Abstract: | BACKGROUND: The guppy (Poecilia reticulata) is a successful invasive species. It is also a species that mates multiply; previous studies have demonstrated that this strategy carries fitness benefits. Guppies are routinely introduced to tanks and troughs in regions outside their native range for mosquito-control purposes, and often spread beyond these initial confines into natural water bodies with negative ecological consequences. Here, using a mesocosm set up that resembles the containers into which single guppies are typically introduced for mosquito control, we ask whether singly-mated females are at a disadvantage, relative to multiply-mated females, when it comes to founding a population. Treatments were monitored for one year.\n\nRESULTS: A key finding was that mating history did not predict establishment success, which was 88% in both treatments. Furthermore, analysis of behavioural traits revealed that the descendants of singly-mated females retained antipredator behaviours, and that adult males showed no decrease in courtship vigour. Also, we detected no differences in behavioural variability between treatments.\n\nCONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that even when denied the option of multiple mating, singly-mated female guppies can produce viable populations, at least at the founder stage. This may prove to be a critical advantage in typical introduction scenarios where few individuals are released into enclosed water bodies before finding their way into natural ecosystems. |
Peer review: | yes |
URI: | http://hdl.handle.net/10773/21073 |
DOI: | 10.1186/1472-6785-14-18 |
ISSN: | 1472-6785 |
Appears in Collections: | CESAM - Artigos DBio - Artigos |
Files in This Item:
File | Description | Size | Format | |
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Deacon et al. - 2014 - Forced monogamy in a multiply mating species does .pdf | 529.09 kB | Adobe PDF | View/Open |
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