The effects of population density on courtship behavior in the housefly, Musca domestica
Hicks, Sara Kolb
Meffert, Lisa M.
Doctor of Philosophy
The housefly, Musca domestica, was used to test the short-term and long-term environmental effects of high population density. The first phase addresses the issue that there are two main selection forces that drive mating behavior, inter- and intrasexual selection. In intersexual selection the females are actively discriminating when choosing a mate and, thus, these male-female interactions are what predominantly define that population. However, in intrasexual selection, males potentially compete against each other over the pool of receptive females. I tested the hypothesis that a less complex courtship would be optimal in a high-density environment, short-term (i.e., one generation). Specifically, I videotaped the mating behavior of individuals subjected to one of two treatments: high-density or low-density (i.e., 200 virgin male-female pairs in a 2 L or 114 L cage, respectively). In both treatments, the flies were allowed to mate for 30 minutes while being videotaped. The proportion of time spent in three male courtship behaviors (HOLD, FORWARD, BUZZ) and one female courtship behavior (WINGOUT) were determined. I found that the mating propensity (percent of mated pairs) was significantly greater in the high-density environment. The courtships in the high-density environment were also significantly less complex (i.e., less FORWARD, less HOLD). My findings suggest that high-density environments stimulated competition among males causing the intrasexual selection processes to outweigh the intersexual processes. The second phase tests the prediction that long-term (i.e., eight generations), high population density will drive the evolution of courtship repertoire towards decreased complexity. I applied the previously outlined methods. Additionally, only those pairs that mated within the allotted time were allowed to contribute to the following generation. The courtship behavior assays suggest that the synergistic effects of high density on the males and inbreeding depression drove the evolution of increased courtship complexity and exaggerated inbreeding depression, therefore, not supporting the prediction or the results of first phase. In the low-density treatment, courtship became less complex and mating propensity increased. These results are applicable to populations with unnaturally high densities and potential for inbreeding such as those in laboratory agricultural pest control, and conservation projects.
Ecology; Entomology; Zoology