LifeSci 2D03 > Chapter 13 > Flashcards

Chapter 13 Flashcards

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1
Q

what is a mating system

A

a description of the social associations and number of sexual partners an individual has during one breeding season

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2
Q

can species and populations have variation in their mating systems?

A

yes

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3
Q

what are the types of mating systems

A

monogamy, polygyny, polyandry, polygynandry, promiscuity

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4
Q

what two factors did Emlen and Oring argue that mating systems can be understood by examining?

A

2) evolutionary: sexual conflict
2) ecological: ways in which resource limitation and distribution affect fitness benefit and costs for each sex

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5
Q

what is sexual conflict

A

the differential selection on males and females to maximize their fitness

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6
Q

what did Emlen and Oring’s model assume limits fitness for females and males

A

females - limited by resources she can obtain to invest in offspring than # of sexual partners
- bc females typically invest more energy in offspring and can obtain sperm from one male
male - fitness most strongly affected by # of sexual parters - more = higher fitness

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7
Q

what is biparental care

A

both parents provide care for offspring

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8
Q

what types of mating systems model assumes selection will favour for females?

A
  • ones that provide greatest access to resources - monogamy or polyandry
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9
Q

what types of mating systems model assumes selection will favour for males?

A

polygyny

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10
Q

when does model assume biparental care will be favoured

A

if sexual conflict does not exist because care from both parents is required to raise offspring successfully
- in poor resource environment

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11
Q

when does the model predict monogamy and biparental care to be present

A

predation on unattended young is high

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12
Q

what is female defense polygyny

A

a mating system in which a single male monopolizes and mates with two or more females

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13
Q

when is polygyny predicted to evolve?

A

environmental conditions lead to aggregation of females because aggregations more easily defended by a male from rivals

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14
Q

what two factors promote female aggregations?

A

1) reasons other than reproduction (ex protection from predators)
2) distribution of resources in environments

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15
Q

what is resource defense polygyny

A

a mating system in which a male mates with multiple females that are attracted to resources he defends

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16
Q

what is male dominance polygyny

A

a mating system in which a few males on a lek mate w/many femlaes

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17
Q

how does a lek benefit a female

A

can quickly assess quality of different males on a lek to find best option

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18
Q

when is polyandry favoured

A

when advantageous for both sexes that females be freed from providing parental care, making it male biased
- ex: high predation environment, offspring killed - more beneficial if females mates more and produces more offspring - selection favours these females

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19
Q

what is monogamy

A

one female mates w/one male

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20
Q

polyandry

A

one females mates w/multiple males

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21
Q

polyandry

A

single female associates and mates w/multiple males

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22
Q

polygyny

A

single male associates and mates w/multiple females

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23
Q

polygyandry

A

mating system of social species where multiple males and females associate and mate w/one another and produce young in one breeding attempt
- AKA plural breeding

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24
Q

promiscuity

A

a mating system in which both males and females mate with multiple partners in the absence of pair bonds

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25
in what type of mammals is polygyandry most common
mammals that defend a territory from other groups
26
when should promiscuity evolve
- benefits of social living are low - defense of mates or resources are uneconomical - when populations density is high or when too costly for males to aggregate on leks bc high predation
27
what two factors can be examined to understand mating system variation
1) competing interests of the sexes in attempting to maximize fitness 2) how environmental conditions affect the benefits and costs of resource defense and of different mating behaviours for each sex
28
when does the model predict monogamy will be observed?
when biparental care is essential
29
why is monogamy rare in animals
bc female lactation alone provides all food needed to raise offspring successfully
30
explain a bit about California mice
- monogamy occurs - adults form exclusive pair bonds - males assist with all aspects of parental care (huddling, grooming and carrying young from one location to another) except lactation
31
explain the monogamy and biparental care in poison frogs experiment
- wanted to see if tadpoles in resource-limited small pools exhibit high survivorship only w/biparental care - individuals tadpoles of each species were placed in either small or large pools and did not receive female feeding - control: R. imitator (monogamous) placed in a small pool and received parental care in form of female feeding - recorded growth rate and mortality of individuals - results showed ind. of both species had highest growth rate and survivorship in large pools - in small pool w/no parental care, both species had low growth rates and survivorship - control in small pool w/biparental care had highest growth rate and survivorship - concluded biparental care in R. limitator provides strong selection that favours monogamy in this species
32
explain a bit about R. imitator and R. variabilis
- R. imitator rears young in very small pool compared to small pool of R. variabilis - R. imitator is monogamous w/biparental care - R. variabilis is promiscuous w/only male care
33
what are two hypotheses proposed to why monogamy occurs in some species lacking biparental care?
1) territorial cooperation hypothesis 2) mate guarding hypothesis
34
what is the territorial cooperation hypothesis
the hypothesis that two individuals (one of each sex) can better defend a critical resource, such as a safe refuge, than can a single individual, and thus selection may favour pair formation and shared defense
35
what is the mate guarding hypothesis
the hypothesis that selection favours males that mate w. and guard one female over one or more reproductive cycles by remaining in close association with her
36
what assumption does the territorial cooperation hypothesis make
competition for limited territories is assumed to be intense, or predation outside a safe refuge within the territory is assumed to be high
37
explain a bit about snapping shrimp
- live in burrows - most live in male-female pairs within a single burrow but females provides all parental care - both sexes territorial and will construct and defend a burrow that provides protection from predators - females receptive for short period so staying close increases chances of male mating
38
what assumption does the mate guarding hypothesis make
male's encounter rate w/females is low or perhaps females are rare or difficult to locate
39
what are two conditions needed for evolution of monogamy
need for biparental care and two individuals defending a breeding site
40
how do males defend and mate with multiple females according to the Emlen and Oring model?
directly by defending females or indirectly by defending resources
41
what is a band
social group of feral horses, typically one male and multiple adult females - if multiple males, one dominant male receives all or most matings - adult males no associated w/females live in bachelor bands
42
what is the polygyny threshold model
a model that predicts the occurrence of polygyny based on the amount of resources available to females in male territories - only males mate polygynously - females evaluates costs and benefits - poor quality territory monogamy or polygyny on rich territory
43
what are high and low quality territories in red-winged blackbirds?
high - nests in vegetation over water (since experience less predation) low - on land (more predation)
44
is the hotshot and hotspot hypothesis mutually exclusive?
no
45
what is Emlen and Oring's model based on
sexual conflict and resource distribution
46
what is sexual conflict
differential selection on males and females to maximize their fitness Female fitness is often most limited by access to resources to invest in offspring Male fitness is most often limited by the number of mates
47
why do females aggregate in a female defense polygyny
- lower predation risks - avoid harassment from other males - access to resources
48
what is resource defense polygyny
when a male defends a territory rich in resources
49
what is a female defense polygyny
when a male monopolize a group of females. Females may aggregate to lower predation risk. Females may also aggregate to avoid harassment from males.
50
what is male dominance polygyny
When a male settles in a fixed location to display to females (e.g., through fixed display locations called leks)
51
describe poor habitat quality
small prey, dense trees, low light
52
describe medium habitat quality
large prey, sparse vegetation, medium light
53
describe good habitat quality
many large prey, very sparse vegetation, abundant light
54
what is the territorial cooperation hypothesis
Two individuals (one of each sex) can better defend a critical resource needed for reproduction (e.g., safe refuge)
55
what is the mate guarding hypothesis
A single male can benefit by remaining close to a single female during one or more reproductive cycles
56
what is a lek
The lek is a communal display ground where males showcase their vibrant plumage, perform intricate dances, and emit loud calls to impress and court potential mates.
57
what is the hotspot hypothesis
males can benefit by aggregating on leks near a location in the environment where they are likely to encounter females
58
what is the hotshot hypothesis
males can benefit by aggregating on leks near high-quality males that attract females
59
what is a sex role reversed species
Females exhibit high levels of territorial defense and aggression while males provide high levels of parental care
60
where can a sex role reversed species be found
May be favoured in resource-poor environments or where predation on offspring is high
61
what is the genetic quality hypothesis
Females that engage in multi-male matings can improve the fitness of their offspring via genetic mechanisms
62
what is a social mating system
The social associations and presumed mating behavior of individuals based on those associations
63
what is genetic mating system
A description of the mating system based on the actual number of sexual partners in a social mating system that contribute to a set of offspring.
64
what is extra-pair copulations (EPC)
The copulations of a pair-bonded individual with a third individual outside the pair bond.
LifeSci 2D03
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