To mate or not to mate, that is the question: the impact of biotic and abiotic factors on spider mite reproductive behaviour and success Evolutionary Agroecology

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In spider mites multiple mating is prevalent, but the benefits thereof are unclear, given that only one male – the first - sires all offspring of a given female. In an attempt to unravel this puzzling phenomenon, we exposed mites to external factors, biotic and abiotic, that compromise mite fertility and found that the pattern of sperm use is more dynamic than originally thought. In this presentation, I will show you that under certain conditions, mites are capable of either evolving or plastically adjusting their pattern of sperm precedence, thus retaining fertility. These results shed light on what are the drivers of first male sperm precedence maintenance. But is the mystery solved?