Sue Bertram
Professor
Department of Biology
Carleton University
Canada
Biography
Sue Bertram Professor Degrees: B.Sc., M.Sc. (Trent), Ph.D. (Arizona State)
Research Interest
Dr. Bertram’s research utilizes a myriad of laboratory and field-based techniques to investigate the major inconsistency between theory and data in explaining the maintenance of variation in sexually selected traits. Theoretically, all fitness-conferring traits should display minimal amounts of genetic variation. This theory is based on the notion that fitness is influenced by directional selection and therefore a single best phenotype should predominate. Provided this theory is accurate, sexually selected traits should strongly influence fitness and therefore display minimal amounts of heritable variation. However, sexually selected traits exhibit even higher levels of heritable variation than other fitness-conferring traits in similar taxa. Her research addresses the causal question of how variation is maintained in sexually selected traits, and focuses on the field cricket as the model organism. Further details about her research can be found at the Bertram Lab Web Site.
