Abstract
The way in which female mate choice, scramble competition and contest competition for mates interact to influence the evolution of male traits is poorly understood. We tested female preferences for males that varied in spatial ability and aggressiveness, traits likely to be selected by scramble and contest competition, respectively. Male meadow voles, Microtus pennsylvanicus, were tested for their spatial ability using a series of water maze tests, and their aggressiveness was determined using paired arena trials. Females were given a choice between two tethered males, and their preferences were scored based on relative frequency and duration of visits. Females preferred males with low aggressiveness and good spatial ability to males with high aggressiveness and poor spatial ability. Females showed no preference between males with high aggressiveness and good spatial ability and males with low aggressiveness and poor spatial ability. These results suggest that female choice and scramble competition will favour males with better spatial ability. In contrast, female choice does not seem to favour more aggressive males.
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