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Cassandra M. Martin
School of Biological Sciences phone:
(402) 472-0089
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Research Interests Sexual and natural selection can often act in opposition. Many male organisms have impressive traits, displays, and/or signals used in the attraction of females. These sexually selected traits can have costs such as energetic and predation costs. Less studied are the costs of female mate choice. Choosing a preferred mate should lead to direct or indirect benefits, but can also result costs. Costs associated with mate choice include search costs and association costs. Search costs are those costs incurred while searching for mates. For example, time and energy spent as well as increased exposure to predators and the elements are common search costs. Association costs are those costs incurred by associating with potential mates. For example, if a preferred male has a very conspicuous trait that attracts both potential mates and predators, a female associating with that preferred male may be at a greater risk of predation than a female who associates with a less preferred (less conspicuous) male. I plan on investigating these costs of mate choice in insects or anurans. Education
Eastern Illinois University, Department of Biological Sciences, B.S. (summa cum laude): 2005
External Grants, Fellowships and Awards Coming soon. Internal Grants, Fellowships and Awards GAANN Fellowship, Ecology Evolution and Behavior, University of Nebraska: 2006 Refereed Publications Martin, C. M., K. C. Kruse, and P. V. Switzer. In preparation. Factors affecting male-male pairing behavior in the red flour beetle (Tribolium castaneum Herbst). Animal Behaviour |
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