My work focuses on the evolutionary genetics of sexual selection (the outcome of mate choice and competition over mates). With collaborators, I have conducted experiments estimating costs and benefits of sexual selection in Drosophila melanogaster and have proposed a general hypothesis for the evolution of courtship, via genes that act in a sexually antagonistic manner (good for one sex but at the expense of the other) see, Chase-away, below. Specifically, males sometimes appear to exploit female sensory systems in a way that is analogous to manipulative advertising (e.g., through increased volume or vivid coloration of an ornament), at a cost to females. This selects those females who have reduced sensitivity to those ornaments. This counter selects those males who have even more stimulating ornaments. Current interests center on evaluating the Chase-away hypothesis through experimentation and literature analysis. Students are welcome to inquire about research opportunities.

Cabral L.G. and Holland B. 2014. Courtship Song Does Not Increase the Rate of Adaptation to a Thermally Stressful Environment in a Drosophila melanogaster Laboratory Population. PLoS ONE 9(11): e111148. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0111148 Rice, W.R. and B. Holland. 2005. Experimentally enforced monogamy: Inadvertent selection, inbreeding, or evidence for sexually antagonistic coevolution? Evolution 59:682–685. Stemmer, W., and B. Holland. 2003. Survival of the Fittest Molecule. American Scientist 91:526-533. Holland, B. 2002. Sexual selection fails to promote adaptation to a new environment. Evolution 56:721-730. Pitnick, S., G.T. Miller, J. Reagan and B. Holland. 2001. Males’ evolutionary response to experimental removal of sexual selection. Proceedings of the Royal Society B 268:1071-1080. Holland, B. and W.R. Rice. 1999. Experimental removal of sexual selection reverses intersexual antagonistic coevolution and removes a reproductive load. Proceedings of the National Academy of Science 96:5083-5088. Rice, W.R. and B. Holland. 1999. Reply to comments on the chase-away model of sexual selection. Evolution 53:302-306. Holland, B. and W.R. Rice. 1998. Perspective: Chase-away sexual selection: antagonistic seduction versus resistance. Evolution 52:1-7. Rice, W.R. and B. Holland. 1997. The enemies within: intergenomic conflict, interlocus contest evolution (ICE) and the intraspecific red queen. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology 41:1-10. Holland, B. and W.R. Rice. 1997. Cryptic sexual selection – more control issues. Evolution 51:321-324.