Sex Ratios
Concepts and Research Methods

Theory and methods of exploring sex ratios in plants, animals and microbes.

Ian C. W. Hardy (Edited by)

9780521665780, Cambridge University Press

Paperback, published 13 June 2002

440 pages, 70 b/w illus. 1 colour illus.
24.7 x 19 x 2.3 cm, 0.986 kg

'I would recommend anyone interested in the use or evolution of sex ratios theory to read this book. Every academic library should have a copy on their shelves.' Biologist

Covering sex allocation, sex determination and operational sex ratios, this multi-author volume provides both a conceptual context and an instruction in methods for many aspects of sex ratio research. Theory, statistical analysis and genetics are each explained and discussed in the first three sections. The remaining chapters each focus on research in one of a wide spectrum of animal, plant and microbial taxa, including sex ratio distorting bacteria in invertebrates, malarial parasites, birds, human and other mammals, giving critical appraisals of such research. Sex Ratios: Concepts and Research Methods is primarily intended for graduate and professional behavioural and evolutionary ecologists in this field, but it will also be useful to biologists building evolutionary models, and researchers analysing data involving proportions or comparisons across phylogenetically related species.

Preface and acknowledgements
Part I. Sex Ratio Theory: 1. Models of sex ratio evolution Jon Seger and J. William Stubblefield
2. Optimal sex allocation: steps towards a mechanistic theory Ido R. Pen and Franz J. Weissing
Part II. Statistical Analysis of Sex Ratio Data: 3. Statistical analysis of sex ratios: an introduction Kenneth Wilson and Ian C. W. Hardy
4. Analysis of sex ratios in social insects J. J. (Koos) Boomsma and Gösta Nachman
5. Analysis of sex ratio variances and consequences of sex allocation Sven Krackow, Evert Meelis and Ian C. W. Hardy
6. Comparative analysis of sex ratios Peter J. Mayhew and Ido R. Pen
Part III. Genetics of Sex Ratio and Sex Determination: 7. Sex determining mechanisms in vertebrates Sarah B. M. Kraak and Ido R. Pen
8. Sex determination in invertebrates James M. Cook
9. Sex ratio distorters and their detection Richard Stouthamer, Gregory D. D. Hurst and J. A . J. (Hans) Breeuwer
Part IV. Animal Sex Ratios Under Different Life-Histories: 10. Sex ratios of parasitic Hymenoptera with unusual life-histories Paul J. Ode and Martha S. Hunter
11. Sex ratio control in arrhenotkous and pseudo-arrhenotokous mites Maurice W. Sabelis, C. J. (Kees) Nagelkerke and J. A. J. (Hans) Breeuwer
12. Aphid sex ratios William A. Foster
13. Sex ratios in birds and mammals: can the hypotheses be disentangled Andrew Cockburn, Sarah Legge and Michael C. Double
14. Human sex ratios: adaptations and mechanisms, problems and prospects John Lazarus
Part V. Sex ratios in other kingdoms: 15. Sex ratios of malaria parasites and related protozoa Andrew Read, Todd G. Smith , Sean Nee and Stuart A. West
16. Sex allocation in hermaphroditic plants Peter G. L. Klinkhamer and Tom J. de Jong
17. Sex ratios in dioecious plants Tom J. de Jong and Peter G. L. Klinkhamer
Part VI. Applications of sex ratios: 18. Operational sex ratios and mating competition Charlotta Kvarnemo and Ingrid Ahnestjö
19. Using sex ratios: the past and the future Steven Hecht Orzack
20. Using sex ratios: why bother? Stuart A. West and Edward Allen Herre.

Subject Areas: Animal ecology [PSVS], Animal behaviour [PSVP], Genetics [non-medical PSAK]