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Flashcards in 10: mating systems Deck (34)
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1
Q

what 4 things are included in a mating system classification?

A
  • copulation behaviour
  • social organisation
  • parental care system
  • competition for mates
2
Q

list the 4 mating systems

A
  • monogamy
  • polygyny
  • polyandry
  • polygynandry
3
Q

what do social mating systems not always reflect and give an example

A

the genetic mating system

extra pair paternity in birds

4
Q

what is monogamy and give 4 examples and which group are mainly monogamous

A
1 male and 1 female
birds
- swan 
- clownfish
- fulmar
- splendid fairy wren
5
Q

roughly what % of birds are socially monogamous and what % are also genetically monogamous?

A

90%

<25%

6
Q
  • what is polygyny
  • what group is it mostly
  • what are the 2 types and an example for each
A
  • 1 male and >1 female
  • mammals
  • simultaneous: red winged blackbird
    successive/sequential: orangutan
7
Q
  • what is polyandry
  • what are the 2 types and an example for each
  • what can often happen in this mating system?
A
  • 1 female and >1 male
  • simultaneous: painted snipe
    successive/sequential: spotted sandpiper
  • sex role reversal
8
Q
  • what is polygynandry
  • what groups are mainly included
  • give 2 examples
A
  • > 1 female and >1 male
  • reptiles, fish, amphibians
  • guppy and foam nest tree frog
9
Q

mating systems often vary within a species, list 3 examples

A
  • extra pair paternity in monogamous species
  • dunnocks
  • humans
10
Q

what mating systems do dunnocks engage in and in what proportions?

A
  • 1/3 monogamy
  • 1/4 polygyny
  • 40-50% polyandry or polygynandry
11
Q

what is the reproductive potential for males and females like and what they are limited by

A

males > females

  • males limited by access to females
  • females limited by access to resources
12
Q

what should males do to maximise their fitness?

A

directly monopolise lots of females or monopolise resources she needs for survival and reproduction

13
Q

what determines the mating system?

A

female and male dispersion

14
Q

what is the general model?

what does It predict?

A

ecology/resource distribution > female dispersion > male dispersion
- predicts that mating systems should reflect female dispersion and resource distribution

15
Q

what is resource defence polygyny and an example?

A
  • males defend key resources wanted by females

tent making bats- males construct and defend roosting tents that house harems of females with 1M: 1-37F

16
Q

in mammals male parental care is rare so what does female monopolisation by males and mating system depend on?

A
  • female group size

- female range size for travel

17
Q

in Clutton Brock 1989 study what was discovered for when females are solitary and the range is defendable? (3)

A
  • 60% mammals
  • small range: polygyny, voles and otters
  • large range: monogamy, gibbon
18
Q

in Clutton Brock 1989 study what was discovered for when females are solitary and the range is not defendable? (3)

A
  • scramble competition
  • polygyny
  • orangutan cant defend the widely distributed rainforest patches
19
Q

in Clutton Brock 1989 study what was discovered for when females are social and the range is defendable? (2)

A
  • small group: uni male polygyny, colobus

- large group: multi male polygyny, lion

20
Q

in Clutton Brock 1989 study what was discovered for when females are social and the range is large and not defendable? (3)

A
  • large unstable groups
  • males may aggregate in leks when high competition for females
  • Uganda kob
  • Topi
21
Q

list the two example experiments to answer the question: do resources determine female dispersion and in turn male dispersion?

A
  • blue headed wrasse

- grey sided vole

22
Q

blue headed wrasse all start off as female and become males at a certain size- what is the difference between the males and females? - 2 for each

A
females
- forage over large overlapping ranges
- spawn daily at favoured sites 
males 
- cant defend females 
- compete for and defend spawning sites on reefs
23
Q

what was warner 1990 experiment on blue headed wrasse (5)

A
  • removed males and replaced with new ones
  • when males removed 22/24 sites still used and no new sites, would follow what previous males did
  • removed females and replaced with new ones
  • when females removed 11 sites lost and 10 new spawning sites found
  • females determine the site of spawning and males compete to defend those sites
24
Q

what was experiment 1 for the grey sided vole? (3)

A
  • small patches rich with food
  • food distribution determines female distribution
  • males also followed
25
Q

what was experiment 2 for the grey sided vole? (3)

A
  • captive females and radio tracked males
  • males would collapse their range around the females
  • female dispersion determines male dispersion
26
Q

what was experiment 3 for the grey sided vole? (3)

A
  • captive males and radio tracked females

- no effect of male dispersion on female dispersion

27
Q

the reproductive potential of males is not always realised so what does this mean for the mating systems and their reproductive success?

A

sexual conflict over them

more variation

28
Q

how can females maximise their reproductive success?

A

monopolise parental care from males

29
Q

where is sexual conflict over mating systems common?

A

in birds

30
Q

what type of mating system does the male and female prefer?

A

male: polygyny
female: polyandry so can get more or better resources such as parental care

31
Q

in many species why does monogamy often occur?(3)

A
  • at a compromise between conflicting interests of the sexes
  • males may be unable to defend more than 1 female at a time
  • female may force monogamy upon male
32
Q

what is the yellow bellied marmot example for sexual conflict over mating systems? (2)

A
  • females raise more offspring in smaller groups and get more parental care
  • male overall gains more offspring in a large harem
33
Q

what is the female enforced monogamy in burying beetle example for sexual conflict over mating systems? (3)

A
  • female and male make a nest with a corpse and care for offspring
  • males attempt to attract extra females using pheromones
  • females try to prevent males form doing so
34
Q

give 5 points summarising mating systems

A
  • very variable
  • potential reproductive rate drives variation
  • ecological factors set the scene for mating system evolution
  • experiments support general model
  • sexual conflict plays a key role in mating system evolution