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An Ecology of Sperm: Sperm Diversification by Natural Selection

Reinhardt, Klaus ; Dobler, Ralph and Abbott, Jessica LU orcid (2015) In Annual Review of Ecology, Evolution and Systematics 46. p.435-459
Abstract
Using basic ecological concepts, we introduce sperm ecology as a framework to stud sperm cells. First, we describe environmental effects on sperm and conclude that evolutionary and ecological research should not neglect the overwhelming evidence presented here (both in external and internal fertilizers and in terrestrial and aquatic habitats) that sperm function is altered by many environments, including the male environment. Second, we determine that the evidence for sperm phenotypic plasticity is overwhelming. Third, we find that genotype-by-environment interaction effects on sperm function exist, but their general adaptive significance (e.g., local adaptation) awaits further research. It remains unresolved whether sperm diversification... (More)
Using basic ecological concepts, we introduce sperm ecology as a framework to stud sperm cells. First, we describe environmental effects on sperm and conclude that evolutionary and ecological research should not neglect the overwhelming evidence presented here (both in external and internal fertilizers and in terrestrial and aquatic habitats) that sperm function is altered by many environments, including the male environment. Second, we determine that the evidence for sperm phenotypic plasticity is overwhelming. Third, we find that genotype-by-environment interaction effects on sperm function exist, but their general adaptive significance (e.g., local adaptation) awaits further research. It remains unresolved whether sperm diversification occurs by natural selection acting on sperm function or by selection on male and female microenvironments that enable optimal plastic performance of sperm (sperm niches). Environmental effects reduce fitness predictability under sperm competition, predict species distributions under global change, explain adaptive behavior, and highlight the role of natural selection in behavioral ecology and reproductive medicine. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
postcopulatory selection, sexually transmitted disease, sperm aging, sperm competition, reactive oxygen species, genotype-bv-environment, interactions
in
Annual Review of Ecology, Evolution and Systematics
volume
46
pages
435 - 459
publisher
Annual Reviews
external identifiers
  • wos:000367292700020
  • scopus:84948968219
ISSN
1543-592X
DOI
10.1146/annurev-ecolsys-120213-091611
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
3e5c03fc-b30f-4011-ae16-db1fd95c3eaa (old id 8767664)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 11:14:17
date last changed
2024-05-06 07:25:15
@article{3e5c03fc-b30f-4011-ae16-db1fd95c3eaa,
  abstract     = {{Using basic ecological concepts, we introduce sperm ecology as a framework to stud sperm cells. First, we describe environmental effects on sperm and conclude that evolutionary and ecological research should not neglect the overwhelming evidence presented here (both in external and internal fertilizers and in terrestrial and aquatic habitats) that sperm function is altered by many environments, including the male environment. Second, we determine that the evidence for sperm phenotypic plasticity is overwhelming. Third, we find that genotype-by-environment interaction effects on sperm function exist, but their general adaptive significance (e.g., local adaptation) awaits further research. It remains unresolved whether sperm diversification occurs by natural selection acting on sperm function or by selection on male and female microenvironments that enable optimal plastic performance of sperm (sperm niches). Environmental effects reduce fitness predictability under sperm competition, predict species distributions under global change, explain adaptive behavior, and highlight the role of natural selection in behavioral ecology and reproductive medicine.}},
  author       = {{Reinhardt, Klaus and Dobler, Ralph and Abbott, Jessica}},
  issn         = {{1543-592X}},
  keywords     = {{postcopulatory selection; sexually transmitted disease; sperm aging; sperm competition; reactive oxygen species; genotype-bv-environment; interactions}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  pages        = {{435--459}},
  publisher    = {{Annual Reviews}},
  series       = {{Annual Review of Ecology, Evolution and Systematics}},
  title        = {{An Ecology of Sperm: Sperm Diversification by Natural Selection}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1146/annurev-ecolsys-120213-091611}},
  doi          = {{10.1146/annurev-ecolsys-120213-091611}},
  volume       = {{46}},
  year         = {{2015}},
}