Cichlid Fish Diversity Threatened by Eutrophication That Curbs Sexual Selection

Seehausen, Ole; van Alphen, JJM; Witte, F (1997). Cichlid Fish Diversity Threatened by Eutrophication That Curbs Sexual Selection. Science, 277(5333), pp. 1808-1811. American Association for the Advancement of Science 10.1126/science.277.5333.1808

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Cichlid fish species of Lake Victoria can interbreed without loss of fertility but are sexually
isolated by mate choice. Mate choice is determined on the basis of coloration, and strong
assortative mating can quickly lead to sexual isolation of color morphs. Dull fish col-
oration, few color morphs, and low species diversity are found in areas that have become
turbid as a result of recent eutrophication. By constraining color vision, turbidity interferes
with mate choice, relaxes sexual selection, and blocks the mechanism of reproductive
isolation. In this way, human activities that increase turbidity destroy both the mechanism
of diversification and that which maintains diversity.

Item Type:	Journal Article (Original Article)
Division/Institute:	08 Faculty of Science > Department of Biology > Institute of Ecology and Evolution (IEE) > Aquatic Ecology
UniBE Contributor:	Seehausen, Ole
Subjects:	500 Science > 570 Life sciences; biology
ISSN:	0036-8075
Publisher:	American Association for the Advancement of Science
Language:	English
Submitter:	Marcel Häsler
Date Deposited:	09 Sep 2015 14:09
Last Modified:	05 Dec 2022 14:49
Publisher DOI:	10.1126/science.277.5333.1808
URI:	https://boris.unibe.ch/id/eprint/71541