Abstract / Description of output
Can sex-allocation theory account for the sex ratios of malaria parasites? The sex ratios of many metazoans change in response to environmental cues, often as predicted by theory, providing some of the best evidence that adaptationist thinking actually works 1 . Now, Paul et al. 2 have reported that environmental conditions also affect the sex ratio of malaria parasites. This discovery allows a fuller analysis of the adaptive basis of sex allocation in these protozoans. More generally, it provides a model for testing the use of optimality theory when applied to infectious disease research – a key component of the much hyped ‘Darwinian Medicine’ 3 .
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 259-260 |
| Number of pages | 2 |
| Journal | Trends in Ecology & Evolution |
| Volume | 15 |
| Issue number | 7 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 1 Jul 2000 |
Keywords / Materials (for Non-textual outputs)
- ecology
- evolution
- parasitology
- plasmodium
- sex allocation
- sex ratio
- anaemia
- erythropoiesis
- erythropoietin
- gametocyte
- gamete
- fertilisation assurance