L5 - Parental Care Flashcards
What is the difference in parental care given in birds that are long lived and short lived?
Long lived: minimalized parent care as parents are more concerned about their own well-being
Short-lived: parents care more about looking after their offspring
Why do mothers care more than fathers?
Females have paternal certainty
Males often raise offspring that is not genetically theirs
Why is there paternal care?
1) Maximise the reproductive success
2) females attracted to guarding males - harvestmen`
What sensory signals tell a parent who their offspring is?
Vocal cue and olfactory
What is template matching?
estimate of relatedness based on how different others are
FEEDING MORPHS:
Herbivores - more likely to hang around with relatives as when times are hard they wont eat each other
carnivores - “ opposite
What is ‘self adopting’?
Juveniles leave the nest voluntarily if they aren’t being given enough resources
They exploit the adults reluctance to harm genetic relatives
What is parasitic adoption?`
Birds lay eggs in others nests
Specialised brood parasites
Why do parents accept brood parasites?
1) Parents don’t recognise the difference between their own eggs
2) Size of the egg - parents cant eject them from the nest. Would rather not abandon eggs, therefore accept the cost
3) Host parasite might return to check
What is the Mafia Hypothesis
Parasites parents will return to check, and if they are uncared for the parent will attack the host
What is the difference between parental investment in offspring comparing the start and end of the season?
Start of the season - the mother is in top condition, therefore large offspring (often daughters) produced
End of the season - mother has deteriorated, produces small sons
What is the Trivers-Willard Theory?
bias towards 1 sex is due to cariation in parental control:
- age of mother (very old and very young have daughters)
- time of breeding season
- twins more likely to be female
If both parents can provide care why don’t they?
Small males - cant care for many
Lots of males in the population/lots of females in the population = singular care
More attractive - greater investment - number, egg size, incubation effort, feeding rate
What would the first born out of an egg possible do to the other eggs in sibling conflict?
First hatched try and expel the other eggs (which isn’t good for parents)
What is Obligate siblicide?
Obligate siblicide - second egg is insurance and will be disposed off
What is Facultative siblicide?
facultative siblicide - poo conditions causes late weening
