TY - JOUR
T1 - Split-clutch IVF
T2 - A technique to examine indirect fitness consequences of mate preferences in sticklebacks
AU - Barber, Iain
AU - Arnott, Stephen A.
N1 - Funding Information:
3) Corresponding author; current address: Institute of Biological Sciences, The Univrsitye of Waes Alberystwyth, EdardwLlwyd Building, Penglais Campus, Aberystwyth, Ceredigion SY23 3ADWale,s, UK; e-mail address: [email protected] 4) We aergrateful to all the participants at the 3rd International Symposium on Stickleback Behavior and Evolution who expressed interest in the technique and suggested methodological improvements, and to Eric Taloryand an anonymous referee for comments on the manuscript. Felicity Huntingford and Viocria tBraithwaite povidred stimulating comments during the early devopmenelt of the technique. The UK Natural Evironnment Research Council funded the research (grant number GR3/10349).
PY - 2000/1/31
Y1 - 2000/1/31
N2 - Although laboratory mate choice experiments and field studies often reveal certain traits of male three-spined sticklebacks (as well as other model species) to be attractive to mate searching females, evidence that mating with males possessing such traits improves offspring survival and performance is scarce. In particular, there is a lack of unambiguous data linking preferred male traits with inherited genetic 'viability', which are essential for 'good genes' models of sexual selection. In this paper, we provide a protocol for performing half-sibling crosses in three-spined sticklebacks using a split-clutch in vitro fertilisation (SC-IVF) technique. This approach controls for variable maternal investment and standardises parental care - two confounding variables that frequently distort the relationship between sire trait and offspring performance - allowing the detection of offspring viability characteristics linked to specific sire traits such as sexual coloration, body size or condition.
AB - Although laboratory mate choice experiments and field studies often reveal certain traits of male three-spined sticklebacks (as well as other model species) to be attractive to mate searching females, evidence that mating with males possessing such traits improves offspring survival and performance is scarce. In particular, there is a lack of unambiguous data linking preferred male traits with inherited genetic 'viability', which are essential for 'good genes' models of sexual selection. In this paper, we provide a protocol for performing half-sibling crosses in three-spined sticklebacks using a split-clutch in vitro fertilisation (SC-IVF) technique. This approach controls for variable maternal investment and standardises parental care - two confounding variables that frequently distort the relationship between sire trait and offspring performance - allowing the detection of offspring viability characteristics linked to specific sire traits such as sexual coloration, body size or condition.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0034366695&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1163/156853900502484
DO - 10.1163/156853900502484
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:0034366695
SN - 0005-7959
VL - 137
SP - 1129
EP - 1140
JO - Behaviour
JF - Behaviour
IS - 7-8
ER -