On the optimal sex ratio

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1983 Oct;80(19):5931-5. doi: 10.1073/pnas.80.19.5931.

Abstract

The equilibrium structures for various multiallele sex-determining genetic models of panmictic populations with sex expression depending on the genotypes of either the zygote or a parent are described. Even-sex-ratio equilibrium surfaces can exist apart from equilibrium points having coincident male and female allelic frequency sets. The latter (symmetric) equilibrium states entail biased sex ratios. A stable symmetric equilibrium and an even-sex-ratio equilibrium segregating the same alleles cannot coexist. The tendency to evolve toward an even-sex ratio is embodied by the following optimality property: starting from an equilibrium having a biased sex ratio, mutant sex-determining alleles can accumulate only in the case in which in the augmented system all attainable equilibrium states have a sex ratio closer to one to one.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Alleles
  • Animals
  • Biological Evolution*
  • Female
  • Male
  • Mathematics
  • Models, Genetic
  • Plants / genetics
  • Sex Determination Analysis
  • Sex Ratio*
  • Species Specificity