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Data from: Bateman gradients reflect variation in sexual selection in a species with dynamic sex roles

Cite this dataset

Hare, Robin (2022). Data from: Bateman gradients reflect variation in sexual selection in a species with dynamic sex roles [Dataset]. Dryad. https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.1zcrjdfvh

Abstract

Bateman gradients, the slope of the regression of reproductive success on mating success, are among the most commonly reported measures of sexual selection. They are particularly insightful in species with reversed sex roles, where females are expected to be under sexual selection. We measured Bateman gradients in replicate experimental populations of the spermatophore gift-giving bushcricket Kawanaphila nartee (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae). In this species, the operational sex ratio (OSR) and thus the sex competing for mates varies depending on the availability of pollen food resources: under pollen-limited regimens females are more competitive, whereas under pollen-rich regimens males are more competitive. We maintained populations in enclosures with either limited or supplemented pollen, and calculated Bateman gradients for males and females under both conditions. Bateman gradients were significantly positive in males, and the slope was steeper in pollen-supplemented populations where the OSR was more male-biased. Bateman gradients for females were shallow and nonsignificant regardless of pollen availability. Our results show that the strength of sexual selection on males can depend on environmental context. The lack of significant gradients among females may reflect experimental limitations on our ability to estimate Bateman gradients in female K. nartee.

Usage notes

'cagesurvival.csv'

- for each individual animal (id), the sex, cage number, and food treatment are recorded

- under 'survival,' 1 means the animal survived, and 0 means it did not

 

'indboth.csv'

- i.e. INDividual mating success for BOTH sexes

- for each individual animal (id), the sex and food treatment are recorded

- under 'obs,' the number of matings observed in the field is recorded

- under 'gen,' the number of matings detected using microsatellites is recorded

 

'obsdata.csv'

- for each cage on each night, the number of calling males (callers), matings, male rejections of females,

  spermatophores present (spmt), and operational sex ratio (osr) are recorded

- this is done at the start (early) and end (late) of nightly observations

- treatment is also recorded for each cage

 

'cagebg22-01-18.csv'

- for each individual animal (id), the sex, food treatment, and cage number are recorded

- the number of eggs (egg.no) is recorded for each female 

- the wing area (w.area) and gamete mass (g.mass) are recorded for each male

- the body mass (b.mass), pronotum width (p.width), ear size (e.size), and forelimb tibia length

  (l.length) are recorded for both sexes

- the highest number of mates from the indboth.csv file is recorded here

- various standardised measures are recorded but are not pertinent (columns O-W)

- starting in column X, standardised values are recorded

- 'zsms' records z-standardised mating success (it's an acronym)

- 'msms' records mean-standardised mating success (also an acronym)

- 'msrs' records mean-standardised reproductive success (you guessed it) 

Funding

University of Western Australia