Czech Science Foundation No. 25-17505S (2025-2027)
Research partners: Tomáš Albrecht – Institute of Vertebrate Biology, CAS; Radka Reifová – Faculty of Science, Charles University
This project addresses one of the central paradigm shifts in evolutionary biology: the recognition that mate choice and sexual selection can continue after copulation. In many passerine birds, high levels of sexual promiscuity result in intense postcopulatory sexual selection, driven by sperm competition and cryptic female choice. Despite its evolutionary importance, the mechanistic basis and long-term fitness consequences of these processes remain poorly understood.
The main aim of the project is to uncover the mechanisms and evolutionary outcomes of postcopulatory sexual selection across multiple biological levels—from within-population processes to broad interspecific comparisons. The research focuses on three interconnected objectives:
(i) evaluating the lifetime fitness consequences of sexual promiscuity,
(ii) identifying traits determining male fertilization success, including sperm performance and interactions with the female reproductive environment, and
(iii) characterizing “promiscuity syndromes”, i.e. suites of physiological, reproductive, and genomic adaptations associated with varying intensities of postcopulatory selection across passerine taxa.
The project integrates long-term field studies on natural populations of passerine birds (including detailed reproductive, physiological, and fitness data) with comparative and experimental approaches. A key component is the application of multi-omics methodologies, combining metabolomics, proteomics, transcriptomics, and genomic analyses to link reproductive phenotypes with underlying molecular and metabolic processes.
The Biology Centre CAS contributes advanced mass spectrometry–based metabolomic, enabling precise characterization of metabolic states, sperm-associated metabolites, and physiological markers related to reproductive performance and individual quality. These bioanalytical approaches provide a mechanistic bridge between organismal traits and evolutionary outcomes.
By combining evolutionary ecology with cutting-edge molecular and analytical tools, the project aims to deliver a holistic understanding of postcopulatory sexual selection and its role in shaping reproductive strategies, life-history evolution, and genomic divergence. Beyond avian biology, the findings are expected to have broader implications for understanding sexual selection in other polygynandrous species, including mammals and humans.
