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Full-Text Articles in Biology

The Group-Level Consequences Of Sexual Conflict In Multigroup Populations, Omar Tonsi Eldakar, Andrew C. Gallup Oct 2011

The Group-Level Consequences Of Sexual Conflict In Multigroup Populations, Omar Tonsi Eldakar, Andrew C. Gallup

Biology Faculty Articles

In typical sexual conflict scenarios, males best equipped to exploit females are favored locally over more prudent males, despite reducing female fitness. However, local advantage is not the only relevant form of selection. In multigroup populations, groups with less sexual conflict will contribute more offspring to the next generation than higher conflict groups, countering the local advantage of harmful males. Here, we varied male aggression within-and between-groups in a laboratory population of water striders and measured resulting differences in local population growth over a period of three weeks. The overall pool fitness (i.e., adults produced) of less aggressive pools exceeded …


Contagious Yawning And Seasonal Climate Variation, Andrew C. Gallup, Omar Tonsi Eldakar Sep 2011

Contagious Yawning And Seasonal Climate Variation, Andrew C. Gallup, Omar Tonsi Eldakar

Biology Faculty Articles

Recent evidence suggests that yawning is a thermoregulatory behavior. To explore this possibility further, the frequency of contagious yawning in humans was measured while outdoors in a desert climate in the United States during two distinct temperature ranges and seasons (winter: 22°C; early summer: 37°C). As predicted, the proportion of pedestrians who yawned in response to seeing pictures of people yawning differed significantly between the two conditions (winter: 45%; summer: 24%). Across conditions yawning occurred at lower ambient temperatures, and the tendency to yawn during each season was associated with the length of time spent outside prior to being tested. …


Biomedical Thrillers: Fiction Based In Fact, Or Just Fiction?, Emily F. Schmitt Lavin Jul 2011

Biomedical Thrillers: Fiction Based In Fact, Or Just Fiction?, Emily F. Schmitt Lavin

Biology Faculty Proceedings, Presentations, Speeches, Lectures

No abstract provided.


Eight Criticisms Not To Make About Group Selection, Omar Tonsi Eldakar, David Sloan Wilson Apr 2011

Eight Criticisms Not To Make About Group Selection, Omar Tonsi Eldakar, David Sloan Wilson

Biology Faculty Articles

Group selection, which was once widely rejected as a significant evolutionary force, is now accepted by all who seriously study the subject. There is still widespread confusion about group selection, however, not only among students and the general public, but among professional evolutionists who do not directly study the subject. We list eight criticisms that are frequently invoked against group selection, which can be permanently laid to rest based upon current knowledge. Experts will always find something to critique about group selection, as for any important subject, but these eight criticisms are not among them. Laying them to rest will …


Exploring Identity Through Genetic And Genealogical Research: Development Of A Collaborative Course Between Humanities And Biology, Emily F. Schmitt Lavin, James Doan Apr 2011

Exploring Identity Through Genetic And Genealogical Research: Development Of A Collaborative Course Between Humanities And Biology, Emily F. Schmitt Lavin, James Doan

Biology Faculty Articles

No abstract provided.


Why Are You A Biologist?: Role Of Societies (Tri-Beta) In Professional Development, Emily F. Schmitt Lavin Apr 2011

Why Are You A Biologist?: Role Of Societies (Tri-Beta) In Professional Development, Emily F. Schmitt Lavin

Biology Faculty Proceedings, Presentations, Speeches, Lectures

No abstract provided.


Aposematic Signal Variation Predicts Male-Male Interactions In A Polymorphic Poison Frog, Laura Crothers, Eben Gering, Molly Cummings Feb 2011

Aposematic Signal Variation Predicts Male-Male Interactions In A Polymorphic Poison Frog, Laura Crothers, Eben Gering, Molly Cummings

Biology Faculty Articles

Many species use conspicuous “aposematic” signals to communicate unpalatability/unprofitability to potential predators. Although aposematic traits are generally considered to be classic examples of evolution by natural selection, they can also function in the context of sexual selection, and therefore comprise exceptional systems for understanding how conspicuous signals evolve under multifarious selection. We used males from a highly territorial poison frog species in a dichotomous choice behavioral test to conduct the first examination of how aposematic signal variation influences male–male interactions. Our results reveal two behavioral patterns: (1) male dorsal brightness influences the behaviors of male conspecifics such that males approach …