Female Mate Choice is Influenced by Male Sport Participation

Sexual selection theory argues that females invest more heavily in reproduction than males and thus tend to be choosier in terms of mate choice. Sport may provide a context within which females can gain information about male quality to inform this choice. Males may be able to display attractive traits such as athleticism, strength, and physique to females while participating in sport. We predicted that females would favor males that participated in team sports over individual sports and non-athletes because team sport athletes may be more likely to display qualities such as the ability to work well with others and role acceptance. We used a questionnaire, a photograph, and manipulated descriptions to gauge the effects of sport involvement, attractiveness, and status on 282 females’ willingness to participate in various types of relationships. Team sport athletes were perceived as being more desirable as potential mates than individual sport athletes and non-athletes. It is suggested that team sport athletes may have traits associated with good parenting such as cooperation, likeability, and role acceptance, and/or these athletes may be better able to assert dominance in a team setting. Results are discussed in terms of further implications and future research

Sport Participation Influences Perceptions of Mate Characteristics

Sport provides a context in which mate choice can be facilitated by the display of athletic prowess. Previous work has shown that, for females, team sport athletes are more desirable as mates than individual sport athletes and non-participants. In the present study, the perceptions of males and females were examined regarding potential mates base on sport participation. It was predicted that team sport athletes would be more positively perceived than individual sport athletes and non-participants by both males and females. A questionnaire, a photograph, and manipulated descriptions were used to gauge perceptual differences with respect to team sport athletes, individual sport athletes, and extracurricular club participants for 125 females and 119 males from a Canadian university. Both team and individual sport athletes were perceived as being less lazy, more competitive, and healthier than non-participants by both males and females. Interestingly, females perceived male athletes as more promiscuous than non-athletes, which upholds predictions based on previous research indicating (a) athletes have more sexual partners than non-athletes, and (b) females find athletes more desirable as partners than nonparticipants. Surprisingly, only males perceived female team sport athletes as more dependable than non-participants, and both team and individual sport athletes as more ambitious. This raises questions regarding the initial hypothesis that male team athletes would be perceived positively by females because of qualities such as the ability to cooperate, likeability, and the acceptance of responsibilities necessary for group functioning. Future studies should examine similar questions with a larger sample size that encompasses multiple contexts, taking into account the role of the social profile of sport in relation to mate choice and perception

Conservation Genetics and Gut Microbial Communities’ Variability of the Critically Endangered European Mink Mustela Lutreola: Implications for Captive Breeding Programs

peer reviewedAbstract Host’s fitness can be affected by its genotype and gut microbiota, defined as the microbes living in the host’s intestinal tract. This study explored how the genetic diversity of the host influences its bacterial communities in the context of captive breeding programs, for the critically endangered European mink (Mustela lutreola). As stated by the ecosystem on a leash model, loss of host genetic diversity may lead to changes in immunomodulation and will therefore induce modifications of the gut microbiota. We investigated variation in the gut bacteria through 16S rRNA metabarcoding, related to the genetic diversity of European mink held in captivity in two breeding centers representing separate breeding stocks originating from the western and eastern populations. The genetic diversity of the host was assessed through diversity analysis of the adaptive MHC class I and II genes as well as neutral microsatellite markers. Results indicate lower diversity in neutral and MHC class I genes for the western population, and the opposite for MHC class II. A lower MHC class II gene variability led to an increase in microbial phylogenetic diversity and in abundance depending on the presence of specific MHC-II motifs. Those results seem to be linked to management practices that differs between the two programs, especially the number of generations in captivity. Long term Ex situ conservation practices can thus modulate gut microbial communities, that might potentially have consequences on the survival of reintroduced animals. We suggest strategies to foster genetic diversity in captive breeding program to mitigate the effects of genetic drift on those small, isolated populations

A Microbial Tale of Farming, Invasion and Conservation: On the Gut Bacteria of European and American Mink in Western Europe

peer reviewedAbstract One of the threats that the critically endangered European mink (Mustela lutreola) faces throughout its relict range, including the occidental population, is the impact of the American mink (Mustela vison) invasion in its natural habitat. We aimed to explore the differences in microbiota and genetic diversity between European and American mink to test phylosymbiosis theory. We investigated the gut microbiota composition of European and American mink in a controlled environment (captive breeding compounds and fur farms respectively) to account for the impact of the environment on gut bacterial composition. We compared them to the gut microbiota of both mink species in the natural environment across multiple habitats. Our exploratory results showed differences between free-ranging and captive individuals, with more extreme changes in American mink compared to European mink. However, feral American mink from a long-established population exhibited gut bacterial composition closer to the free-ranging native species compared to more recently established feral populations. This result could be explained by dietary shifts in the area sampled based on prey availability through different landscape, but also to a lesser extent due to greater genetic differentiation. This exploratory work contributes to the scarce literature currently available on the dynamics between gut microbiota and mammal invasion

Mink Farms Predict Aleutian Disease Exposure in Wild American Mink

BACKGROUND: Infectious diseases can often be of conservation importance for wildlife. Spillover, when infectious disease is transmitted from a reservoir population to sympatric wildlife, is a particular threat. American mink (Neovison vison) populations across Canada appear to be declining, but factors thus far explored have not fully explained this population trend. Recent research has shown, however, that domestic mink are escaping from mink farms and hybridizing with wild mink. Domestic mink may also be spreading Aleutian disease (AD), a highly pathogenic parvovirus prevalent in mink farms, to wild mink populations. AD could reduce fitness in wild mink by reducing both the productivity of adult females and survivorship of juveniles and adults. METHODS: To assess the seroprevalence and geographic distribution of AD infection in free-ranging mink in relation to the presence of mink farms, we conducted both a large-scale serological survey, across the province of Ontario, and a smaller-scale survey, at the interface between a mink farm and wild mink. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Antibodies to AD were detected in 29% of mink (60 of 208 mink sampled); however, seroprevalence was significantly higher in areas closer to mink farms than in areas farther from farms, at both large and small spatial scales. Our results indicate that mink farms act as sources of AD transmission to the wild. As such, it is likely that wild mink across North America may be experiencing increased exposure to AD, via disease transmission from mink farms, which may be affecting wild mink demographics across their range. In light of declining mink populations, high AD seroprevalence within some mink farms, and the large number of mink farms situated across North America, improved biosecurity measures on farms are warranted to prevent continued disease transmission at the interface between mink farms and wild mink populations

Fig. 1 in Sexual Size and Shape Dimorphism in Dineutus nigrior (Coleoptera: Gyrinidae)

Fig. 1. Frequency distribution of canonical discriminant scores for male and female Dineutus nigrior.Published as part of <i>Fairn, Evan R., Alarie, Yves & Schulte-Hostedde, Albrecht I., 2007, The Coleopterists Bulletin 61 (1)</i> on pages 113-120, DOI: 10.1649/927.1, <a href="http://zenodo.org/record/10111056">http://zenodo.org/record/10111056</a&gt

Sexual Size and Shape Dimorphism in Dineutus nigrior (Coleoptera: Gyrinidae)

Fairn, Evan R., Alarie, Yves, Schulte-Hostedde, Albrecht I. (2007): Sexual Size and Shape Dimorphism in Dineutus nigrior (Coleoptera: Gyrinidae). The Coleopterists Bulletin 61 (1): 113-120, DOI: 10.1649/927.1, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1649/927.

Fig. 2 in Sexual Size and Shape Dimorphism in Dineutus nigrior (Coleoptera: Gyrinidae)

Fig. 2. Relationships between standardized body length and other body size measures in male and female Dineutus nigrior. Filled circles and solid lines indicate males; open circles and broken lines indicate females. Male n 5 63, female n 5 362–363.Published as part of <i>Fairn, Evan R., Alarie, Yves & Schulte-Hostedde, Albrecht I., 2007, The Coleopterists Bulletin 61 (1)</i> on pages 113-120, DOI: 10.1649/927.1, <a href="http://zenodo.org/record/10111056">http://zenodo.org/record/10111056</a&gt

Sexual selection and mating patterns in a mammal with female-biased sexual size dimorphism

In mammals, species with highly male-biased sexual size dimorphism tend to have high variance in male reproductive success. However, little information is available on patterns of sexual selection, variation in male and female reproductive success, and body size and mating success in species with female-biased size dimorphism. We used parentage data from microsatellite DNA loci to examine these issues in the yellow-pine chipmunk (Tamias amoenus), a small ground squirrel with female-biased sexual size dimorphism. Chipmunks were monitored over 3 years in the Kananaskis Valley, Alberta, Canada. We found evidence of high levels of multiple paternity within litters. Variation in male and female reproductive success was equal, and the opportunity for sexual selection was only marginally higher in males than females. Male and female reproductive success both depended on mating success. We found no evidence that the number of genetic mates a male had depended on body size. Our results are consistent with a promiscuous mating system in which males and female mate with multiple partners. Low variation in male reproductive success may be a general feature of mammalian species in which females are larger than males. Copyright 2004.body size; chipmunks; mammals; mating patterns; microsatellites; multiple paternity; reproductive success; Tamias amoenus

Sport Participation Influences Perceptions of Mate Characteristics

Sport provides a context in which mate choice can be facilitated by the display of athletic prowess. Previous work has shown that, for females, team sport athletes are more desirable as mates than individual sport athletes and non-participants. In the present study, the perceptions of males and females were examined regarding potential mates based on sport participation. It was predicted that team sport athletes would be more positively perceived than individual sport athletes and non-participants by both males and females. A questionnaire, a photograph, and manipulated descriptions were used to gauge perceptual differences with respect to team sport athletes, individual sport athletes, and extracurricular club participants for 125 females and 119 males from a Canadian university. Both team and individual sport athletes were perceived as being less lazy, more competitive, and healthier than non-participants by both males and females. Interestingly, females perceived male athletes as more promiscuous than non-athletes, which upholds predictions based on previous research indicating (a) athletes have more sexual partners than non-athletes, and (b) females find athletes more desirable as partners than non-participants. Surprisingly, only males perceived female team sport athletes as more dependable than non-participants, and both team and individual sport athletes as more ambitious. This raises questions regarding the initial hypothesis that male team athletes would be perceived positively by females because of qualities such as the ability to cooperate, likeability, and the acceptance of responsibilities necessary for group functioning. Future studies should examine similar questions with a larger sample size that encompasses multiple contexts, taking into account the role of the social profile of sport in relation to mate choice and perception