12. Sex Allocation

Principles of Evolution, Ecology and Behavior (EEB 122)

Sex allocation is an organism's decision on how much of its reproductive investment should be distributed to male and female functions and/or offspring. Under most conditions, the optimal ratio is 50:50, but that can change under certain circumstances. Sex allocation determines what sexes sequential hermaphrodites should be at each part of their life as well as how simultaneous hermaphrodites should behave. Some species have more control over the sexes of their offspring than others, and adjust the sex ratios of their offspring depending on the environment and conditions.

00:00 - Chapter 1. Introduction
02:16 - Chapter 2. Shaw-Mohler and Male-Female Fitness Equivalency
10:00 - Chapter 3. Sex Ratios
18:39 - Chapter 4. Sequential Hermaphrodites
32:44 - Chapter 5. Sex Assignment in Offspring
43:48 - Chapter 6. Summary and Conclusion

Complete course materials are available at the Open Yale Courses website: http://open.yale.edu/courses

This course was recorded in Spring 2009.