Details of Award
NERC Reference : NER/B/S/2000/00797
Sperm competition risk or cryptic female choice: why are male mammals stimulating?
Grant Award
- Principal Investigator:
- Professor P Stockley, University of Liverpool, Veterinary Clinical Science
- Grant held at:
- University of Liverpool, Veterinary Clinical Science
- Science Area:
- None
- Overall Classification:
- Terrestrial
- ENRIs:
- Biodiversity
- Science Topics:
- Population Genetics/Evolution
- Behavioural Ecology
- Abstract:
- The project will explore the function of prolonged copulatory stimulation by male mammals. A new hypothesis that prolonged copulatory stimulation functions to reduce sperm competition risk will be tested against the idea that it is a form of copulatory courtship. Debate on the relative importance of sperm competition and cryptic female choice in sexual selection is currently generating much research interest, although progress has been impeded by difficulties of distinguishing post-copulatory events at a mechanistic level. The current proposal offers a new way forward by identifying clearly testable predictions about behaviour to distinguish underlying selection pressures of post-copulatory sexual selection. Specific objectives are to investigate experimentally how male house mice vary copulatory stimulation in relation to i) dominance status and ii) local risk of sperm competition, according to these predictions.
- NERC Reference:
- NER/B/S/2000/00797
- Grant Stage:
- Completed
- Scheme:
- Small Grants Pre FEC
- Grant Status:
- Closed
- Programme:
- Small Grants
This grant award has a total value of £35,574
FDAB - Financial Details (Award breakdown by headings)
| Total - Staff | Total - Other Costs | Total - Indirect Costs | Total - Equipment |
|---|---|---|---|
| £20,743 | £3,860 | £9,542 | £1,430 |
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