Parent-Offspring Conflict

Question 1

When does parent-offspring conflict occur?

Answer 1

When a parent can gain fitness by withholding parental care or resources from offspring in order to invest in another round of reproduction. But this happens at a time when current offspring would still benefit from the receipt of further investment.

Question 2

Why does parent-offspring conflict occur?

Answer 2

Offspring are selected to be more selfish than parents might want them to be.

Question 3

Weaning Conflict – Guinea Pigs

Answer 3

Guinea pigs do not depend on mom for warmth or food (precocial young). Lactation influences their growth, but is costly for moms.

Experiment found that pups were weaned earlier than they would want, and that moms were in charge.

Question 4

Begging

Answer 4

Includes posture, calls, jostling, display bright mouths (redder mouths are an honest signal of need).

Way for offspring to communicate nutritional needs to parents.

Extra begging increased parental feeding visits.

Question 5

Is begging always honest?

Answer 5

The costs of begging keep it honest.
- It endangers offspring by attracting predators. (Exp. nests with begging calls were preyed upon more.)
- It is energetically costly. (Exp. mass loss is attributed to begging.)

Question 6

When environmental quality is poor…

Answer 6

• Brood reduction is likely
• Parents want to feed offspring in best condition
• Offspring are selected to signal quality

Question 7

When environmental quality is good…

Answer 7

• Brood reduction is unlikely
• Parents want to feed offspring in worst condition
• Offspring are selected to signal need