Operational Sex Ratio

Stephen M Shuster

doi:10.1016/B978-0-12-800049-6.00153-0

Operational Sex Ratio

Stephen M Shuster

Biological Sciences

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter

5 Scopus citations

Abstract

The Operational Sex Ratio, or OSR, first defined as 'the ratio of receptive females to potential mating males at any one time,' was designed to measure the level of competition for mates in animal populations. The apparent utility of the OSR as a proxy for sexual selection intensity established it as a standard metric for animal mating system research. However, the relationships between OSR and actual measures of sexual selection have proven inconsistent. Thus, while useful for characterizing known experimental populations, estimates of OSR are not equivalent to those for sexual selection and are unlikely account for observed patterns of evolutionary change.

Original language	English (US)
Title of host publication	Encyclopedia of Evolutionary Biology
Publisher	Elsevier Inc.
Pages	167-174
Number of pages	8
ISBN (Electronic)	9780128004265
ISBN (Print)	9780128000496
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-800049-6.00153-0
State	Published - Apr 14 2016

Keywords

Competition for mates
Mating systems
Potential reproductive rate
Sex ratio
Sexual selection

ASJC Scopus subject areas

General Agricultural and Biological Sciences
General Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology

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10.1016/B978-0-12-800049-6.00153-0

Cite this

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KW - Sexual selection

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ER -

Operational Sex Ratio

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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