1. |
- Aebi, Alexandre, et al.
(author)
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The potential of native parasitoids for the control of Mexican bean beetles: A genetic and ecological approach
- 2008
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In: Biological Control. - : Elsevier BV. - 1090-2112 .- 1049-9644. ; 47:3, s. 289-297
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Bruchid beetles in the genus Zabrotes are important pests of field and stored beans all around the world and cause enormous economical losses in Mexico and Central America. Native parasitoids have been successfully used to suppress infestations by bruchid beetles in Africa, but few studies have assessed their potential to reduce seed damage in the New World and no successful biological control programs have been implemented, mainly due to the poor knowledge on their biology, systematics and ecology in this region. In this study, we used molecular tools to describe a new complex of three parasitoid species of bruchid beetles in the genus Horismenus, and investigated the level of gene flow and presence of ecotypes in this complex. We also examined the specific association between species of Horismenus and two sibling species of Zabrotes beetles, in order to evaluate their potential as biological control agents. Microsatellite data support the previous morphological description of three species, H. butcheri, H. missouriensis and H. depressus, but suggest some gene flow between H. missouriensis and H. depressus. Host-plant is shown to be the most important factor determining the ecological distribution of the two Zabrotes species, whereas altitude explains most of the distribution of the three Horismenus species. These results complement our understanding of this tritrophic system, providing a solid base for a potential biological control program using native parasitoids. (C) 2008 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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2. |
- Conroy-Beam, Daniel, et al.
(author)
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Assortative mating and the evolution of desirability covariation
- 2019
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In: Evolution and human behavior. - : Elsevier. - 1090-5138 .- 1879-0607. ; 40:5, s. 479-491
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Mate choice lies dose to differential reproduction, the engine of evolution. Patterns of mate choice consequently have power to direct the course of evolution. Here we provide evidence suggesting one pattern of human mate choice-the tendency for mates to be similar in overall desirability-caused the evolution of a structure of correlations that we call the d factor. We use agent-based models to demonstrate that assortative mating causes the evolution of a positive manifold of desirability, d, such that an individual who is desirable as a mate along any one dimension tends to be desirable across all other dimensions. Further, we use a large cross-cultural sample with n = 14,478 from 45 countries around the world to show that this d-factor emerges in human samples, is a cross-cultural universal, and is patterned in a way consistent with an evolutionary history of assortative mating. Our results suggest that assortative mating can explain the evolution of a broad structure of human trait covariation.
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3. |
- Conroy-Beam, Daniel, et al.
(author)
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Contrasting Computational Models of Mate Preference Integration Across 45 Countries
- 2019
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In: Scientific Reports. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2045-2322. ; 9
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Humans express a wide array of ideal mate preferences. Around the world, people desire romantic partners who are intelligent, healthy, kind, physically attractive, wealthy, and more. In order for these ideal preferences to guide the choice of actual romantic partners, human mating psychology must possess a means to integrate information across these many preference dimensions into summaries of the overall mate value of their potential mates. Here we explore the computational design of this mate preference integration process using a large sample of n = 14,487 people from 45 countries around the world. We combine this large cross-cultural sample with agent-based models to compare eight hypothesized models of human mating markets. Across cultures, people higher in mate value appear to experience greater power of choice on the mating market in that they set higher ideal standards, better fulfill their preferences in choice, and pair with higher mate value partners. Furthermore, we find that this cross-culturally universal pattern of mate choice is most consistent with a Euclidean model of mate preference integration.
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4. |
- Walter, Kathryn, et al.
(author)
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Sex Differences in Mate Preferences Across 45 Countries : A Large-Scale Replication
- 2020
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In: Psychological Science. - : SAGE Publications. - 0956-7976 .- 1467-9280. ; 31:4, s. 408-423
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Considerable research has examined human mate preferences across cultures, finding universal sex differences in preferences for attractiveness and resources as well as sources of systematic cultural variation. Two competing perspectives-an evolutionary psychological perspective and a biosocial role perspective-offer alternative explanations for these findings. However, the original data on which each perspective relies are decades old, and the literature is fraught with conflicting methods, analyses, results, and conclusions. Using a new 45-country sample (N = 14,399), we attempted to replicate classic studies and test both the evolutionary and biosocial role perspectives. Support for universal sex differences in preferences remains robust: Men, more than women, prefer attractive, young mates, and women, more than men, prefer older mates with financial prospects. Cross-culturally, both sexes have mates closer to their own ages as gender equality increases. Beyond age of partner, neither pathogen prevalence nor gender equality robustly predicted sex differences or preferences across countries.
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