Data from: Past and present resource availability affect mating rate but not choice in Drosophila melanogaster

To address this important question, we measured mating rate and mate choice among Drosophila melanogaster males that were manipulated in terms of both past resources (control vs. starvation) and the resources available during mate choice (food vs. no food). We found that males given access to ample resources prior to mate choice showed higher mating rates than those that were starved, in agreement with previous studies.

However, we also found that this effect can be reversed quickly, as starved males given the opportunity to mate in a high-quality environment mated at frequencies equivalent to their fed counterparts. While past and present resources affected mating rate, they did not affect mate choice, as males mated with high quality females at high frequencies regardless of their condition and environment. Our results show that both current condition as well as the promise of future resources can dramatically influence individuals’ investment into reproduction, and that such mating decisions are extremely plastic and reliant on environmental cues.

Usage notes

Mated Data on whether mating occurred at all within mating trials. MateChoice Data on whether males mated with attractive females, of mating trials in which mating occurred.