加拿大不列顛哥倫比亞大學(xué)和奧地利國際應(yīng)用系統(tǒng)分析研究所的研究人員提出的新理論模型認(rèn)為,，選擇性交配本身能促進(jìn)那些擁有相同生態(tài)環(huán)境適應(yīng)性以及可雜交物種的長期共存。這類物種包括蛙類,、蟋蟀類,、蚱蜢類和魚類等,。相關(guān)研究論文4月1日在線發(fā)表于《Nature》。
論文的主要作者,、加州大學(xué)伯克利分校博士后研究員萊森說,，現(xiàn)有的生物多樣性理論只注重生物對環(huán)境的適應(yīng)性，或者說適者生存這一點(diǎn),，但這無法解釋人們所觀察到的很多生物多樣性現(xiàn)象,。
他說，這項(xiàng)研究顯示,，不同物種能夠在同一個(gè)棲息地中共存,，但要滿足兩個(gè)前提條件：第一，它們使用的資源分配體系存在差異,，只有這樣,，那些有不同配偶偏好的雌性動(dòng)物才能占據(jù)不同的資源豐沛區(qū)域,；第二，雌性動(dòng)物必須為自己在選擇配偶時(shí)的挑剔付出代價(jià),。
報(bào)告進(jìn)一步解釋說,，雌性動(dòng)物挑剔配偶所付出的代價(jià)對鞏固物種間的界限具有重要作用，這也有效推動(dòng)生物多樣性的發(fā)展,，因?yàn)閷ε渑加衅玫拇菩詣?dòng)物不會(huì)隨便進(jìn)入那些它們不喜歡的雄性動(dòng)物的領(lǐng)地,。（生物谷 bioon.com）
doi:10.1038/nature10971
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Sexual selection enables long-term coexistence despite ecological equivalence
eithen K. M’Gonigle，Rupert Mazzucco, Sarah P. Otto1,，Ulf Dieckmann
Empirical data indicate that sexual preferences are critical for maintaining species boundaries1, yet theoretical work has suggested that, on their own, they can have only a minimal role in maintaining biodiversity. This is because long-term coexistence within overlapping ranges is thought to be unlikely in the absence of ecological differentiation9. Here we challenge this widely held view by generalizing a standard model of sexual selection to include two ubiquitous features of populations with sexual selection: spatial variation in local carrying capacity, and mate-search costs in females. We show that, when these two features are combined, sexual preferences can single-handedly maintain coexistence, even when spatial variation in local carrying capacity is so slight that it might go unnoticed empirically. This theoretical study demonstrates that sexual selection alone can promote the long-term coexistence of ecologically equivalent species with overlapping ranges, and it thus provides a novel explanation for the maintenance of species diversity.
