In breeding sage grouse, males display for females in a mating arena called a lek.Females tend to prefer a small number of males, leading to highly skewed mating success for a few promiscuous males and reduced genetic variability in the population as a whole.In 2000, a new species of sage grouse (called Gunnison's Sage-Grouse) was declared.Relatively rapid speciation in sage grouse could have arisen because of
A) sexual selection.
B) poor dispersal ability.
C) dietary specialization.
D) adaptation.
E) hybrid zones.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The fact that female sage grouse tend to prefer a small number of males for mating, leading to skewed mating success for a few males, suggests that sexual selection is a strong driving force in their breeding behavior. This could have played a role in relatively rapid speciation in sage grouse, as different mating preferences could have led to reproductive isolation and the eventual emergence of a new species (Gunnison's Sage-Grouse). Therefore, A is the best choice for explaining the rapid speciation in sage grouse.

In Breeding Sage Grouse, Males Display for Females in a Mating