Studies of hybrid zones offer important insights into the process of speciation. Much of the knowledge to be gained is dependent on an accurate estimation of the strength of pre- and post-zygotic isolation between hybridizing taxa. My results demonstrate that hybridization can variously affect different components of fitness. In Ficedula flycatchers, late-breeding females may directly benefit from pairing with a heterospecific male by gaining access to superior territories. The hybrid offspring possess an immune system that is as equally well functioning as in the parental species (the collared, F. albicollis, and pied flycatcher, F. hypoleuca). However, I found that a severe reduction in fertility persists for at least three generations after the actual hybridization event. Combining all information about the reproductive success of hybridizing individuals and their descendents revealed that postzygotic isolation between flycatchers is very strong; hybridizing individuals leave almost no descendents. This thesis presents one of few comprehensive summaries of the selection for/against assortative mating in a natural hybrid zone. These findings suggest a central role for intrinsic postzygotic isolation as a reproductive barrier separating newly evolved bird species, and contrast previous suggestions that postmating isolation is the slowest of the reproductive barriers to evolve in birds. Despite this strong selection against hybridization, pre-mating isolation is incomplete. Hybridization often results from females lacking conspecific partners, but appears to be also caused by errors in species recognition. Much of this error probably reflects the short period of time that pied flycatchers on Gotland and Öland have been in sympatry. Compared to collared flycatchers, pied flycatchers are poorer able to discriminate between conspecific and heterospecific song, and male pied flycatchers more often falsely signal their own identity through heterospecific song copying. However, despite colonising the study site from other sympatric populations and having very little gene flow from allopatry, collared flycatchers also possess traits (e.g. delayed plumage maturation) that increase their hybridization risk. Once pre-mating isolation is strong, the rarity of hybridization probably inhibits further selection against traits promoting interspecific mating, especially when such traits may be beneficial in other contexts. This thesis highlights complex interactions between factors affecting hybridization rate that would not be detected if such a study were not field-based. Furthermore, it showcases likely examples in nature of a number of theoretical objections to the evolution of pre-mating barriers between populations living in sympatry.

No description available.

Le choix de partenaire est souvent considéré comme étant le résultat d’une simple interaction, mais, en nature, l’environnement social dans lequel les animaux communiquent correspond généralement à un réseau d’émetteurs et de récepteurs. La présence de congénères, de rivaux, et même de prédateurs durant le choix de partenaire peut avoir plusieurs répercussions sur ce choix. Être observé par une audience composée de congénères de même sexe peut pousser certaines espèces à modifier le niveau d’expression de leurs préférences, et même à modifier ces préférences pour réduire la compétition ou éviter d’être imitées. La préférence de plusieurs femelles diamant mandarin pour deux mâles a été mesurée en absence et en présence d’une audience femelle pour déterminer si la présence de rivales a des effets sur le choix de partenaire des femelles. De plus, afin de déterminer si ces effets varient en fonction de la qualité des femelles focales et audience, la condition de plusieurs femelles a été altérée en diminuant leur capacité à voler. Selon les résultats, les femelles diminuent leur niveau de sélectivité suite à l’ajout d’une audience femelle, et l’intensité des interactions mâle-femelle dépend de la condition des femelles focales. Les femelles ajustent leur comportement surtout pour éviter d’être imitées et non en fonction de leur condition. Cependant, ces deux mécanismes peuvent affecter les femelles simultanément. / Mate choice is often considered as the result of a simple interaction, but, in the wild, the social environment in which animals communicate generally corresponds to a network of several signallers and receivers. The presence of conspecifics, rivals, and even predators during mate choice can have many repercussions on that choice. Being observed by an audience of same-sex conspecifics can drive some species to alter the level of expression of their preferences, and even to modify those preferences to reduce competition or avoid being copied. The preference of several zebra finch females for two males was measured without and with a female audience to determine if the presence of an audience alters female mate choice. Moreover, to determine if these effects vary according to focal and audience females’ condition, the condition of several females was altered by diminishing their flying ability. According to the results, females lower their level of selectivity following the addition of an audience, and the intensity of male-female interactions depends on the focal females’ condition. Our findings suggest that females mainly adjust their behavior to avoid being copied and not according to their condition. However, these two mechanisms might have affected the females’ mating preferences simultaneously.

Thèse numérisée par la Division de la gestion de documents et des archives de l'Université de Montréal

[Truncated abstract] The assumption that facial attractiveness signals mate quality is central to current evolutionary theories of human sexual selection. Evidence for direct links between attractiveness and mate quality is, however, scarce, and the exact nature of mate quality remains the subject of debate. Mate quality may include genetic diversity, because genome-wide diversity has been linked to individual fitness, and diversity within the Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) has been associated with immunocompetence and health in many species. This thesis investigates whether individual genetic diversity plays a role in human sexual selection. The main aim is to examine whether MHC diversity, compared to genetic diversity in general, is especially important for mate preferences, health and mating success. The four studies herein are based on data collected from a large sample of heterosexual, Caucasian males and females. Participants were photographed, provided a DNA sample, and completed questionnaires regarding sexual history and health. Genetic diversity was calculated as both mean heterozygosity (H) and standardised mean-d2 (d2), separately for 12 MHC microsatellite loci and 11 nonMHC loci. The photographs were rated for various attractive features by opposite-sex raters. The first study investigated whether MHC diversity influences preferences for facial appearance in a potential mate, and if so, are they specific to the MHC and are they mediated by specific facial characteristics? I found that MHC-H, but not nonMHCH, positively predicted male facial attractiveness, and that this relationship was mediated by facial averageness. For females, nonMHC-d2 predicted facial symmetry, and potentially attractiveness. These findings indicate that faces contain visual cues to mate quality in both males and females, providing support for evolutionary theories that our preferences are adaptations for identifying mates of high quality. ... Measuring them both allowed me to tease apart their effects on mate preferences, and on health and mating success. Indeed, the MHC appears to be especially important in sexual selection as MHC diversity predicted female mate preferences after controlling for nonMHC diversity, and MHC dissimilarity predicted male mate preferences after controlling for nonMHC dissimilarity. Moreover, although MHC diversity did not appear to influence males’ preference for females, it did predict female mating success, suggesting that males also attend to MHC-related cues, although perhaps non-facial cues, when seeking mates. Additionally, nonMHC diversity predicted both male preferences for female faces and health, suggesting that such preferences are adaptive. Importantly, by providing direct links between facial attractiveness and biological markers of individual quality, genetic diversity, these results support the commonly held assumption that facial attractiveness signals mate quality.

[Truncated abstract] Early psychosocial stress is conjectured to place individuals on a developmental trajectory leading to earlier pubertal maturation, earlier initiation of sexual activity and earlier reproduction than those with less early psychosocial stress. This may have an adaptive function to minimise the chances of lineage extinction, which is more likely in environments of high risk and uncertainty. Previous studies have examined the relationship between early psychosocial stress and life history stages (e.g., age at puberty, age at first sex and age at first birth). However, these studies are limited in that they either examined only a few early psychosocial stressors, examined psychosocial stress relatively late in individuals' lives and/or were restricted to women. Thus, the first aim of the present thesis was to examine these findings in both genders using a measure of early psychosocial stress comprised of 24 categories of retrospectively assessed stressors (e.g., sexual abuse, physical abuse, parental divorce, rated quality of family life) during the first 7 years of life. It was hypothesised that individuals with high, as opposed to low, levels of early psychosocial stress would pass through life history stages earlier. The second aim was to examine how early psychosocial stress affects characteristics associated with life history traits, such as individuals? length, number and type of heterosexual relationships, number of sex partners, adult attachment styles, number of pregnancy terminations, and attitudes and behaviours towards contraceptive use. High levels of early psychosocial stress were predicted to be associated with characteristics reflecting a quantitative, as opposed to a qualitative, reproductive approach (e.g., more sex partners, more short-term relationships, insecure attachment styles). The third aim was to examine how early psychosocial stress is related to mate choice because numerous studies have identified what traits individuals' desire in a mate but not whether early psychosocial stress affects these choices. ... Early psychosocial stress generally had no effects on age at first sex, age at first birth, the number of pregnancy terminations, and mate choices. On the other hand, individuals with high, as opposed to low, levels of early psychosocial stress were more likely to be insecurely attached, had more short-term sexual relationships (men only), had more extra-pair copulations, were more likely to be divorced/separated, had a greater lifetime number of sex partners (men only), and had lower self-rated frequencies of contraception use. Overall, some of these findings are consistent with life history theory, which suggests that individuals with high levels of early psychosocial stress (i.e., those living in environments of high risk and uncertainty) should reach biological maturation earlier, engage in behaviours that facilitate earlier and more frequent reproduction to minimise the chances of lineage extinction. Implications for public health, limitations of the present study and future directions are also discussed.

L’haplodiploïdie chez les hyménoptères leur confère une meilleure résistance aux effets délétères de la dépression de consanguinité. Cependant, certains hyménoptères ont un déterminisme du sexe particulier qui les rend sensibles à cette dépression. Chez ces espèces, le genre des individus dépend de la complémentarité des allèles à un locus donné, le single-locus Complementary Sex Determination (sl-CSD). Les oeufs non fécondés se développent en mâles haploïdes alors hémizygotes au locus de CSD. En revanche les oeufs fécondés donnent des femelles diploïdes s’ils sont hétérozygotes au locus du CSD mais deviennent des mâles diploïdes s’ils sont homozygotes pour ce même locus. Ces derniers sont d’autant plus fréquents dans les populations consanguines où le taux d’homozygotes est élevé. Or, les mâles diploïdes sont dans la majorité des cas non viables ou stériles. La production de tels mâles est de ce fait coûteuse pour les femelles. La faible viabilité des mâles diploïdes s’apparente alors à de la dépression de consanguinité. Par des approches liées à l’écologie comportementale et à l’écologie chimique le projet de thèse se concentre sur l’étude des coûts individuels générés par la production de mâles diploïdes et à l’évolution des comportements sélectionnés en réponse à ces coûts. Dans un premier temps, je me suis intéressée à la fitness des mâles diploïdes et aux répercussions de leur production sur les femelles de la population. Dans un second temps, j’ai étudié les comportements permettant de réduire les coûts de la production des mâles diploïdes. Les individus apparentés représentent les partenaires sexuels où le risque de produire des fils diploïdes est le plus élevé. De ce fait, les comportements d’évitement de la consanguinité devraient être sélectionnés dans ces populations / Haplodiploidy in hymenopterans offers a great resistance to the deleterious effect of inbreeding depression. However, some hymenopterans have a specific sex determination which drives them to this depression. Among those species, the sex of individuals depends on allele complementary at a particular locus; the single-locus Complementary Sex Determinatation (sl-CSD). Unfertilized eggs give birth to haploid males which are hemizygotes at the CSD locus. Conversely, fertilized eggs develop into females when heterozygote at the CSD locus but become diploid males when homozygote at the same locus. Diploid males are especially frequent in inbred populations with a high inbreeding rate. Yet diploid males are generally unviable or sterile. Production of such males is therefore costly for females. Reduced viability of diploid males is then similar to inbreeding depression. Linked with behavioural ecology and chemical ecology approaches, the PhD project starts by focusing on individual costs due to production of diploid males, and then on behaviours that have evolved in response to these costs. As a first step, the fitness of diploid males and its impact on females of the population have been measured. If they are unviable, their production is akin to female mortality. As a second step, we studied behaviours that reduce the cost of diploid male production. Related individuals are sexual partners that are most likely to father diploid sons. Therefore, behavioural inbreeding avoidance may be selected in such populations

Examiner les liens existant entre la variabilité environnementale, les traits d'histoire de vie, la dispersion et les décisions d'accouplement est un enjeu central en Ecologie et en Evolution. J'ai exploré ces questions chez un amphibien, le sonneur à ventre jaune (Bombina variegata). Dans le premier volet de ma thèse, je me suis intéressé à l'influence des variations spatiotemporelles de l'environnement sur les patrons de covariation entre les traits d'histoire de vie, la dispersion et les types comportementaux à l'échelle inter-populationnelle. J'ai examiné comment le degré de stochasticité interannuel de l'habitat de reproduction régule le positionnement des populations le long du slow-fast continuum et génère des syndromes de dispersion parmi les populations. J'ai ensuite analysé les conséquences de ces syndromes sur les patrons de différenciation génétique au sein des populations. Dans le second volet de ma thèse, je me suis intéressé au rôle de la canalisation environnementale dans la stratégie d'histoire de vie de B. variegata et j'ai évalué comment diverses formes de variations météorologiques pouvaient affecter la dynamique de différentes populations. Dans chacune d'elles, j'ai mesuré l'impact de facteurs météorologiques sur des paramètres démographiques tels que la survie, le recrutement et les probabilités de reproduction. Dans le troisième et dernier volet de ma thèse, je me suis intéressé au choix d'accouplement des femelles, en examinant successivement les hypothèses de bons gènes et de gènes compatibles puis en me focalisant sur le rôle de la qualité et de la disponibilité des sites de reproduction sur les décisions d'accouplement des femelles / Investigating the links between environmental variability and life history traits, dispersal and breeding decisions is critical challenge for ecologists. I have examined this issue in anuran, the yellow-bellied toad (Bombina variegata). In the first part of my thesis, I have examined the influence of spatio-temporal variation of the environment on the covariation patterns between life history traits, dispersal and behavioral types at inter-population scale. I have investigated how the level of breeding habitat stochasticity may regulate the position of B. variegata populations along the slow-fast continuum and may promote dispersal syndromes among populations. Then I have analyzed the consequence of such dispersal syndromes on population genetic differentiation. In the second part of my thesis, I have focused on the role of the environmental canalization in the life history strategy of B. variegata and I have evaluated how various forms of weather variation (mean and extreme events) could affect the dynamics of different populations. In each studied populations, I have quantified the impacts of weather variation on various demographic parameters as survival, recruitment and breeding probabilities. In the third part of my thesis, I have investigated female mate choice in B. variegata by successively examining good genes and compatible gene hypotheses, and then by evaluating the role of breeding habitat quality and availability on mating decisions

La diversité génétique intra-spécifique constitue le potentiel adaptatif des espèces et, à ce titre, elle est donc indispensable pour l'évolution de celles-ci. Chez les vertébrés, les gènes du complexe majeur d'histocompatibilité (CMH) sont une composante essentielle de quoi permet de faire face aux parasites en initiant une réponse immunitaire. La pression de sélection exercée par les parasites et la sélection sexuelle via le choix du partenaire devraient donc agir sur la diversité génétique du CMH. Cependant, la distinction empirique des pressions sélectives agissant sur la diversité génétique du CMH en milieu naturel nécessite de suivre un grand nombre individus tout au long de leur vie et d'effectuer leur génotypage. Le premier objectif de cette thèse a donc été développer et appliquer un protocole de génotypage chez la marmotte Alpine (Marmota marmota), sur quatre loci du CMH décrits précédemment. Ceci permet par la suite d'étudier, dans une population de marmottes Alpines vivant en milieu naturel, si les caractéristiques génétiques du CMH influencent (1) le choix de partenaire, (2) la présence et/ou l'abondance de trois espèces de parasites intestinaux et (3) leur survie juvénile. Ce travail a fourni une méthode appropriée pour la détermination de génotypes fiables sur un grand nombre d'échantillons en utilisant des techniques de séquençage de nouvelle génération. Ensuite, nous avons constaté l'existence d'un choix de partenaire basé sur le CMH mais aussi sur les caractéristiques de l'ensemble du génome. Par la suite, nous avons mis en évidence le faible rôle du CMH sur la présence et abondance de trois espèces de parasites intestinaux. Finalement, nous avons constaté que l'association entre la survie juvénile et les caractéristiques génétiques du CMH et de l'ensemble du génome ont changé au cours des vingt-trois ans de suivi de la population. Dans l'ensemble, cette thèse présente une approche intégrée de l'étude des rôles du CMH sur une population contemporaine de marmottes Alpines / Intra-specific genetic diversity represents the true potential of adaptation of species and is thus essential for evolutionary change. In vertebrates, the genes of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) play a critical role in vertebrate disease resistance by initiating immune response. The selective pressure carried out by parasites and sexual selection via mate choice are supposed to maintain the extreme diversity found in the MHC. Yet, empirical differentiation of selective pressures acting on MHC in the wild requires individually based monitoring of a large number of individuals and genotyping them. The aim of this thesis was firstly to develop and apply a genotyping protocol in Alpine marmots (Marmota marmota) to genotype four previously described MHC loci. This allows subsequently to evaluate, in a wild population of Alpine marmots, if MHC characteristics play a role (1) on mate choice, (2) on the presence and/or abundance of three intestinal parasite species and (3) on juvenile survival. This work provided a suitable method to reliably genotype large number of individuals using next-generation sequencing techniques. Then, we found evidences for female mate choice based on MHC but also on neutral genetic characteristics. Subsequently, we evidenced the weak role of MHC characteristics on the presence and abundance of three intestinal parasites. Finally, we found evidences for a change of the effect of genetic diversity at both MHC and neutral loci on juvenile survival during the 23-year monitoring study. Overall, this thesis comprises an integrated approach for the study of the roles of MHC in a contemporaneous population of Alpine marmots

Today it seems as if each individual is responsible for choosing his/her mate. Historically, this process has been mainly regulated by culture, family and society, which make the rules and norms, and defines suitable behaviors in the mate selection process. This research aimed at constructing a scale to analyze if people consider themselves responsible for the choice of their partner and to what extent. A qualitative study using ATLAS.ti content analysis resulted in different theoretical factors. A second study sought to corroborate the theoretical factors using a principal component analysis, determining the following factors: Destiny-Predestination, Powerful Microcosm, and Internal Control factor, which explain 50.94% of the variance with 17 items. The instrument shows that the locus of control in mate choice is not a continuum that moves between internality and externality but, rather, it is multidimensional. / En la actualidad pareciera que cada individuo es responsable de la elección de pareja, sin embargo, históricamente ha sido regulado por la cultura, familia y sociedad, quienes marcan las reglas, normas y conductas adecuadas para dicha elección. Esta investigación tuvo como propósito la construcción de una escala que analiza si una persona se considera a sí misma como responsable de la elección de su pareja; para ello se cuestiona la globalidad del proceso de locus de control. Un primer estudio, cualitativo, obtuvo indicadores usando ATLAS.ti, para obtener factores teóricos. Un segundo estudio corroboró los factores teóricos mediante un análisis de componentes principales, mostrando la existencia de los factores de: DestinoPredestinación, Poderosos del Microcosmos, y Control Interno, explicando con sus 17 ítems el 50.94% de varianza. Se concluye que el locus de control en la elección de pareja no es un continuo que se mueva entre internalidad y externalidad, sino que es multidimensional. / Actuellement, il semble que chaque individu est responsable du choix d’un couple, mais, historiquement, il a été réglementé par la culture, la famille et la société, qui marquent les règles, les normes et les comportements appropriés pour cette élection. Le but de cette recherche était la construction d’une échelle qui analyse si une personne se considère comme responsable du choix de son partenaire; pour cela, la globalité du processus de locus de contrôle est mise en question. Une première étude qualitative a obtenu des indicateurs en utilisant ATLAS.ti, pour obtenir des facteurs théoriques. Une deuxième étude a corroboré les facteurs théoriques au moyen d’une analyse des composantes principales, montrant l’existence des facteurs: Fate-Pré- destination, Microcosme Puissant et Contrôle Interne, expliquant avec leurs 17 items les 50.94% de variance. Nous concluons que le locus de contrôle dans le choix du couple n’est pas un continuum qui se déplace entre l’internalité et l’externalité, mais qu’il est multidimensionnel. / Hoje, parece que cada indivíduo é responsável pela escolha de seu parceiro, no entanto, tem sido historicamente regulado pela cultura, família e sociedade, que estabelecem regras, normas e comportamentos adequados a essa escolha. Esta pesquisa teve como objetivo construir uma escala que analise se uma pessoa se considera responsável pela escolha de seu parceiro; para isso, a globalidade do processo de locus de controle é questionada. Um primeiro estudo qualitativo, obteve indicadores usando ATLAS.ti, para obter fatores teóricos. Um segundo estudo corroborou os fatores teóricos através de uma análise de componentes principais, mostrando a existência dos fatores de Destinação-Predestinação, Poderosa do Microcosmo e Controle Interno, explicando com seus 17 itens 50.94% de variância. Concluímos que o locus de controle na escolha do par não é um continuum que se move entre internidade e externalidade, mas é multidimensional.