4. Fighting and Assessment Flashcards
What are some sources of conflict for animals?
Defend resources - mates, food, territory
Determine social rank
When are fights most intense?
When resources are more defendable and where there are few other alternatives
Which mating systems show the greatest adaptations for competition?
Polygynous mating systems
Why have polygynous mating systems developed such intense mating competition?
The payoffs of winning a mate are huge - leading to huge selection pressures and distinct polymorphisms
Why are there so few serious injuries in mate competitions?
‘Best’ thing to do relies on what majority of others do, if all had lethal horns/antlers, no individual would benefit.
What does the hawk-dove model show?
That it is only better to ‘be a hawk’ when the frequency of hawks is low, at that point the dove strategist is more profitable
What does the decision to fight (and the outcome of the fight) depend on?
Resource holding potential (strength)
Payoff of winning vs losing
Convention (ownership)
The increase of nest value, along with the decrease in the subordinates share of reproduction are likely to increase what?
The probability of fighting
Why do some animals not bother to fight a competitor?
May lack information about who is the stronger - cannot determine resource holding potential
What is sequential assessment?
Allows contestants to gain information before escalating - e.g. roaring, parallel walking, tail beating
How is ‘bluffing’ prevented in sequential assessment?
Signals will be ignored unless honest or uncheatable
What type of signals are honest?
Many colour displays, roaring, speed, size
