Date of Award
2011
Publication Type
Master Thesis
Degree Name
M.A.Sc.
Department
Biological Sciences
Keywords
Biology.
Supervisor
Pitcher, Trevor (Biological Sciences)
Rights
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.
Abstract
Sperm competition is an important determinant of male reproductive success. This thesis examined sperm competition in the context of the alternative reproductive tactics (jacks and hooknoses) of Chinook salmon (Oncorhyncus tshawytscha). I found that jacks had relatively larger gonads and had higher sperm velocity than hooknoses. I also examined competitive fertilization success of the two tactics using a more realistic spawning microenvironment, in the presence of ovarian fluid. I found a significant increase in sperm velocity when activated in ovarian fluid compared to river water for both reproductive tactics and jacks were more successful at siring offspring in sperm competition than hooknoses in water but not in ovarian fluid. I found a significant positive relationship between sperm velocity and competitive fertilization success in water but not ovarian fluid. These results have implications for studies of sperm competition in taxa that do not take into account the female role in reproduction
Recommended Citation
Flannery, Erin, "Sperm competition and the alternative reproductive tactics of Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha)" (2011). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 66.
https://scholar.uwindsor.ca/etd/66