34-Mating Systems

Question 1

Why are there different types of mating systems?

Answer 1

Social: How the sexes are associated in time and space.
Genetic: How gametes are associated.

Question 2

How are mating systems related to resources?

Answer 2

In polygyny males defend resources and females are either attracted to those resources or the male. Even distributionof resources=little polygamy potential. Patchy distribution=high polygamy potential.

Question 3

What is the evidence for the power of mate choice?

Answer 3

Male choice occurs in monogamous systems.

Question 4

What characters do females select in choosing mates or mating outside of their pair bond?

Answer 4

Polygyny threshold model predicts when it may be advantageous to a female to be a secondary female on a high quality territory rather than a primary female on a poorer quality territory. Also look at expensive flight and song, condition of male,

Question 5

What advantages do females realize?

Answer 5

If they mate with more than one male they have fertility insurance, good genes hypothesis, and genetic compatibility.

Question 6

Polygyny

Answer 6

one male, several females (resource defense, female defense, male dominance, scramble). Once a male pied flycatcher attracts a female, he flies off to another nest site and tries to attract another.

Question 7

Polyandry

Answer 7

one female, several males (cooperative, classical). Under high density, males may have higher fitness

Question 8

Monogamy

Answer 8

one male, one female (serial, permanent). Occurs when love environmental potential for polygyny; female aggression prevents another female from nesting nearby; male benefits from assisting single mate by having higher nesting success and keeping mate in better condition for additional nesting attempts. (common in birds, less common in fishes and mammals)

Question 9

Polygynandry

Answer 9

several males, several females. Also known as promiscuity (communal breeding, leks). Ex. acorn woodpeckers, in order to defend ganaries