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Sex in an Evolution...
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Ah-King, Malin,1973-Uppsala universitet,Centrum för genusvetenskap
(author)
Sex in an Evolutionary Perspective : Just Another Reaction Norm
- Article/chapterEnglish2010
Publisher, publication year, extent ...
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2010-11-13
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Springer Science and Business Media LLC,2010
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electronicrdacarrier
Numbers
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LIBRIS-ID:oai:DiVA.org:uu-138901
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https://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:uu:diva-138901URI
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https://doi.org/10.1007/s11692-010-9101-8DOI
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https://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:su:diva-51324URI
Supplementary language notes
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Language:English
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Summary in:English
Part of subdatabase
Classification
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Subject category:ref swepub-contenttype
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Subject category:for swepub-publicationtype
Notes
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authorCount :2
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It is common to refer to all sorts of clear-cut differences between the sexes as something that is biologically almost inevitable. Although this does not reflect the status of evolutionary theory on sex determination and sexual dimorphism, it is probably a common view among evolutionary biologists as well, because of the impact of sexual selection theory. To get away from thinking about biological sex and traits associated with a particular sex as something static, it should be recognized that in an evolutionary perspective sex can be viewed as a reaction norm, with sex attributes being phenotypically plastic. Sex determination itself is fundamentally plastic, even when it is termed “genetic”. The phenotypic expression of traits that are statistically associated with a particular sex always has a plastic component. This plasticity allows for much more variation in the expression of traits according to sex and more overlap between the sexes than is typically acknowledged. Here we review the variation and frequency of evolutionary changes in sex, sex determination and sex roles and conclude that sex in an evolutionary time-frame is extremely variable. We draw on recent findings in sex determination mechanisms, empirical findings of morphology and behaviour as well as genetic and developmental models to explore the concept of sex as a reaction norm. From this point of view, sexual differences are not expected to generally fall into neat, discrete, pre-determined classes. It is important to acknowledge this variability in order to increase objectivity in evolutionary research.
Subject headings and genre
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NATURVETENSKAP Biologi hsv//swe
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NATURAL SCIENCES Biological Sciences hsv//eng
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Phenotypic plasticity
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Sexual selection
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Sex determination
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Sex change
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Sex role reversal
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Gender bias
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Biology
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Biologi
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Biologi med inriktning mot evolutionär organismbiologi
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Biology with specialization in Evolutionary Organismal Biology
Added entries (persons, corporate bodies, meetings, titles ...)
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Nylin, SörenStockholms universitet,Zoologiska institutionen,Zoologiska institutionen, Stockholms universitet(Swepub:su)snylin
(author)
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Uppsala universitetCentrum för genusvetenskap
(creator_code:org_t)
Related titles
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In:Evolutionary biology: Springer Science and Business Media LLC37:4, s. 234-2460071-32601934-2845
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