Male and female diet choice in response to the socio-sexual environment

Sydney, Mabel Charlotte (2024) Male and female diet choice in response to the socio-sexual environment. Doctoral thesis, University of East Anglia.

Preview

PDF Download (5MB) | Preview

Abstract

Animals choose the diets that they eat, and the balance of macronutrients chosen can determine the expression of key life history traits. For example, lifespan is typically maximised on low protein diets and reproduction on high protein diets. The optimal balance of protein and carbohydrate can vary with age, sex and environment. One key example occurs in females of many invertebrate species, where a single mating increases preference for dietary protein. The research in this thesis aimed to investigate how diet choice changes under ecologically relevant social and sexual environments, using the Drosophila melanogaster fruit fly model. Mating multiply in succession did not cause males to increase protein consumption. Despite observed fertility costs of mating multiply, male diet choice was consistent among virgin, once mated and five times mated males. Contrary to our predictions, female condition had little impact on macronutrient intake, despite the potentially reduced reproductive capacity of low-quality females. Additionally, an increase in protein consumption and egg laying was observed after remating, which tested for a dose-dependency of the post-mating feeding switch (a potential avenue for sexual conflict over diet). Foraging and oviposition choice of females was affected by both male sexual harassment and sensory cues of males. However, contrary to the predictions, females did not avoid potential costs of interacting with males and instead preferred diet patches on which males were present. Adaptation to long-term, distinct macronutrient ratios altered survival and expression of nutrient sensing genes differentially between males and females. However, offspring production was not affected by the evolutionary diet regimes. My research applied different methods for measuring diet choice and behaviour in D. melanogaster, allowing assessment of the costs and benefits of preference assays using liquid (capillary feeding) versus solid diets. Overall, the results contribute to our understanding of how the socio-sexual environment alters diet choice and illustrates how macronutrient ratio choice is dynamic and tightly interwoven with reproduction.

Item Type:	Thesis (Doctoral)
Faculty \ School:	Faculty of Science > School of Biological Sciences
Depositing User:	Chris White
Date Deposited:	24 Jun 2025 07:56
Last Modified:	24 Jun 2025 07:56
URI:	https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/99688
DOI:

Downloads

Actions (login required)

View Item