Lecture 7 - human reproductive ecology 1

Question 1

what are basics of mammalian reproduction in men

Answer 1

• many spermatozoids per ejeculate
• spermatozoids produced continuously
• spermatozoids can survive up to 48 hours in the vaginal tract
• reproductive life span about more than 45 years

Question 2

what are basics of mammalian reproduction in women

Answer 2

• at birth 2 million follicles reduced to about 300-400000 at puberty
• one follicle matures each months
• each egg survives between 6-24 hours after ovulation
• reproductive lifespan about less than 30 years

Question 3

Where does a lot we believe about women reproduction come from

Answer 3

• animals
• women with pathologies

Question 4

why are women with pathologies not good to use in studies, what about animals?

Answer 4

not representative of general population
wrong and inappropriate, can’t compare

Question 5

what is estrus

Answer 5

• know when ovulating… pheromones, redness, swelling, in some species it takes place different times of year

Question 6

Is there obvious signs of ovulation in humans

Answer 6

no

Question 7

What are the hypotheses of concealed ovulation

Answer 7

1. daddy at home hypothesis
2. many fathers hypothesis
3. resources and genes may not come from same male
4. female rivalry hypothesis

Question 8

what is the daddy at home hypothesis

Answer 8

• concealed ovulation evolved to promote monogamy, force man to stay home and bolster certainty of his paternity to his wife’s children

Question 9

What is the many fathers hypothesis

Answer 9

• increase number of men motivated to assist her in caring for offspring, multiple partners, lower paternal investment yet multiple fathers

Question 10

what is the female rivalry hypothesis

Answer 10

• suggests females who concealed ovulation avoided female female aggression and succeeded in forming parenting relationships with males and had more children

Question 11

what do humans spend large amounts of time and energy to time pregnancies in accordance with

Answer 11

• religious beliefs
• family and social mandates
• achievement of life goals

Question 12

costs of continuous ovulation

Answer 12

• maternal depletion
• increased offspring mortality

Question 13

how much percent of women consistently reach orgasm during vaginal intercourse

Answer 13

25-35%

Question 14

What does exaptation mean

Answer 14

• develop to describe a trait that evolves die to the benefits that it confers with regard to a certain function and is then co-opted for a different use
• ex: someone claims are hands were not evolved to write

Question 15

clitoris vs penis

Answer 15

• clitoris has double nerve endings than in the glands of a penis

Question 16

What is the up suck hypothesis

Answer 16

• contractions help retaining sperm inside reproductive tract and facilitate migration towards the egg

Question 17

how much percent of women never have orgasms

Answer 17

5%

Question 18

What are things talked about in class that prove clitoris has a function

Answer 18

• up suck hypothesis
• women wanting sex will increase fitness