Times needed to evolve mating cues under allopatry and parapatry.

The time needed for the evolution of mating cues that distinguish species, such as species-specific songs or plumage coloration in birds, has received little attention. Aiming to gain some understanding of the timing of the evolutionary process we here present models of how mating cues evolve in populations split into subpopulations between which there may (parapatry) or may not (allopatry) be migration. Mating cues can be either neutral or directly selected.

Allele frequencies and selection coefficients in locally adapted populations.

Understanding the role of natural selection in driving evolutionary change requires accurate estimates of the strength of selection acting at the genetic level in the wild. This is challenging to achieve but may be easier in the case of populations in migration-selection balance. When two populations are at equilibrium under migration-selection balance, there exist loci whose alleles are selected different ways in the two populations.

Sexual imprinting leads to speciation in locally adapted populations.

Sexual imprinting is widespread in birds and other species but its existence requires explanation. Our results suggest that sexual imprinting leads to speciation in locally-adapted populations if a neutral mating cue-e.g.

Factors affecting fisher decisions: The case of the inshore fishery for European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax).

Fishery management relies on forecasts of fish abundance over time and space, on scales of months and kilometres. While much research has focussed on the drivers of fish populations, there has been less investigation of the decisions made day-to-day by fishers and their subsequent impact on fishing pressure. Studies that focus on the fisher decisions of smaller vessels may be particularly important due to the prevalence of smaller vessels in many fisheries and their potential vulnerability to bad weather and economic change.