Mate Competition and Choice
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Questions and Answers

What does Bateman's hypothesis suggest about the reproductive limits of males and females?

  • Males are limited by the number of mates. (correct)
  • Females have higher variation in reproductive success.
  • Females are limited by the number of mates.
  • Males are limited by egg production.

In the context of sexual selection, what is meant by operational sex ratio?

  • The proportion of males exhibiting courtship behavior.
  • The number of sexually receptive males to sexually receptive females. (correct)
  • The ratio of sexually active males to all females.
  • The number of females available for mating.

Which selection process is primarily responsible for smaller gametes having a numerical advantage?

  • Intersexual selection.
  • Stabilizing selection.
  • Disruptive selection. (correct)
  • Directional selection.

According to the Parental Investment Theory, which sex is likely to be choosier in mate selection?

<p>The sex that incurs higher reproductive costs. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the main factor influencing male mate choice in pipefish?

<p>The striped pattern of the female. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is a key factor that influences female fitness according to the Emlen and Oring model?

<p>Available resources (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which mating system involves one male mating with multiple females?

<p>Polygyny (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

In mosquitofish, what happens if a male observes a rival near a preferred female?

<p>Decreased time spent with the preferred female (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary benefit of promiscuity in a social living environment?

<p>Increased feeding opportunities (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What evolutionary advantage does polyandry provide concerning parental care?

<p>Allows for faster reproduction (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does female defense polygyny involve?

<p>Males monopolize females directly (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following statements about reed warblers and their mating strategy is correct?

<p>Monogamy is favored in poor habitat quality (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What factors lead to the evolution of polygyny according to the content provided?

<p>Aggregation of females and resource clumping (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary benefit of pair guarding in snapping shrimp?

<p>Better defense against predators (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

In the context of horses, what does the term 'female defense polygyny' refer to?

<p>Males defending a group of females directly (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

According to the polygyny threshold model, under what circumstances do females prefer to mate polygynously?

<p>When the benefits outweigh the costs (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which hypothesis explains why subordinate males stay near dominant males in leks?

<p>Hotshot hypothesis (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is a consequence of polyandry mentioned in the content?

<p>Greater variation in male mating success (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What happens to female attraction in leks when a dominant male is removed based on the hotspot hypothesis?

<p>Attraction increases as new males display (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which statement best describes the behavior of carrion beetles in regards to polygyny?

<p>Males exhibit aggression to secure access to carcasses (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is primarily observed in the mating system of peafowl?

<p>A combination of dominant and floater males displaying (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary reason female guppies prefer orange coloration in males?

<p>It conveys genetic fitness from carotenoids. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

In the context of sexual selection, what does Zahavi's handicap principle suggest?

<p>Secondary traits that handicap males indicate their overall quality. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What role do nuptial gifts play in butterfly mating behavior?

<p>Larger male butterflies provide larger gifts to enhance mating success. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which hypothesis suggests that females prefer males that exhibit costly, secondary traits due to their immunocompetence?

<p>Hamilton-Zuk hypothesis (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

How does cryptic female choice function in the context of sperm storage in spiders?

<p>Females eliminate sperm from less preferred males during storage. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What might be a result of predation risk in female guppies when selecting mates?

<p>Preference for orange objects decreases. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

In tree frogs, what characteristic do females tend to prefer in male vocalizations?

<p>Longer calls are correlated with better attractiveness. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which reproductive strategy involves males that stay near dominant males and rely on their presence for successful mating?

<p>Satellite tactic (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does the Fisher model suggest regarding the evolution of mating preferences?

<p>Female preferences can drive the exaggeration of male traits. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the benefit of increased parental care in male tree swallows after frequent copulations?

<p>Male's paternity and reproductive success are enhanced. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Flashcards

Intrasexual Selection

Competition among members of the same sex for mates.

Intersexual Selection

Selection where one sex is choosy about mates.

Anisogamy

Different sized gametes (sperm and eggs).

Bateman's Hypothesis

Males have more variation in reproductive success than females due to limited resources or potential mating.

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Parental Investment Theory

The sex that invests more in offspring will be more choosy about mates.

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Mate choice copying

When individuals copy the mating choices of others, even if the chosen mate is of low quality.

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Nonindependent mate choice

When an individual's mating decisions are influenced by the observed mating behavior of others, often to avoid competition or increase their chances of successful mating.

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Polygyny

A mating system where one male mates with multiple females.

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Polyandry

A mating system where one female mates with multiple males.

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Polygynandry

A mating system where both males and females mate with multiple partners within a group.

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Emlen and Oring model

A model explaining mating system evolution based on two factors: sexual conflict/selection (evolutionary) and resource distribution (ecological).

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Female defense polygyny

Males directly monopolize females, often to reduce predation.

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Resource defense polygyny

Males monopolize females by controlling access to valuable resources.

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What is the link between orange color preference in guppies and predation risk?

Female guppies often prefer orange males, as they are typically healthier and more attractive. However, this preference can be reduced in high-predation environments because orange coloration makes them more vulnerable to predators.

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How do nuptial gifts benefit butterflies?

Male butterflies often present females with nuptial gifts, which are usually packages of nutrients called spermatophores. These gifts provide the female with nutritional resources, increasing her chances of surviving and producing offspring.

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What is Fisherian Runaway Selection?

A process where a male trait becomes increasingly exaggerated over time due to a positive feedback loop between female preference and the trait itself. This can lead to extreme and even seemingly non-adaptive features.

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Explain Zahavi's Handicap Principle.

This principle suggests that honest indicators of male quality are costly to produce and maintain. These traits, like elaborate plumage or long tails, handicap the male's survival, but signal his good genes and hence better quality.

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How do tree frogs demonstrate good genes?

Female tree frogs select males based on their vocalizations, which are indicators of their size and health. Offspring from more attractive males tend to grow faster, indicating higher fitness.

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What is the Hamilton-Zuk Hypothesis?

This hypothesis proposes that female preference for males with elaborate secondary traits is linked to their immune competence. Individuals with strong immune systems can better handle parasites, which are often visible through these traits.

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What is mate guarding and how does it affect red warblers?

Male birds often guard their mate to prevent extra-pair copulations (EPC). This strategy can be effective, but not always, as red warblers have been observed engaging in EPC even with mate guarding.

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How does sperm competition work in tree swallows?

Male tree swallows engage in sperm competition by increasing the frequency of copulations, which floods the female reproductive tract with their sperm, increasing paternity. Also, males may show more parental care to ensure their offspring survive.

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Explain cryptic female choice.

Females can influence the success of fertilization even after mating. In some species, females can select against sperm from close relatives, potentially due to inbreeding depression causing low-quality offspring.

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What are alternative reproductive tactics (ARTs)?

Different mating strategies used by males within the same species, often influenced by factors like size, age, or dominance. Examples include satellite and sneaker males.

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Snapping Shrimp Monogamy

Snapping shrimp pairs form a monogamous relationship despite lacking bi-parental care. This is driven by factors like territorial defense, mate guarding, and the female's limited reproductive window.

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Territorial Cooperation Hypothesis

Two individuals defending a territory are more effective than one, leading to pair formations.

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Mate Guarding Hypothesis

Males can monopolize a single female by guarding her during her receptive period, ensuring their paternity.

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Polygyny Threshold Model

Females should choose to mate polygynously if the benefits of access to better resources outweigh the costs of sharing them.

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Lek Mating System

A system where males aggregate at display sites, called leks, to attract females.

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Hotspot vs. Hotshot Hypothesis

Hotspot: males aggregate where female density is high. Hotshot: subordinates benefit by displaying near dominant males, benefiting from female attraction.

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Study Notes

Mate Competition and Choice

  • Intrasexual selection is competition among members of the same sex for mates.
  • Intersexual selection is mate choice by one sex for members of the opposite sex.
  • Anisogamy is the difference in gamete size between sexes (males produce many small gametes, females produce few large gametes).
  • Geoff Parker Model explains the evolution of anisogamy.
  • Bateman's Hypothesis suggests that reproductive success in males is more variable than in females.
  • Parental Investment Theory posits that the sex investing more in offspring will be choosier in mate selection.

Sensory Bias Hypothesis

  • Female preferences for male traits can be a byproduct of pre-existing sensory biases.
  • Male traits evolve to match these biases (e.g., Guppies preferring orange coloration).

Alternative Reproductive Tactics

  • Conditional strategies where individuals adopt different mating tactics based on conditions (e.g., sneaker males in some species).
  • Satellite Males (conditional strategy)
  • Sneaker Males (hide and fertilize)

Sexual Selection After Mating

  • Cryptic female choice is when females influence offspring success after mating.
  • Mate Copying is when females copy the mating choices of other females.

Mating Systems

  • Monogamy (one male, one female)
  • Polygyny (one male, multiple females)
  • Polyandry (one female, multiple males)
  • Polygynandry (multiple males, multiple females)
  • Resource Defense Polygyny
  • Female Defense Polygyny
  • Leks (display areas where males compete for mates)
  • Hotspot Hypothesis
  • Hotshot Hypothesis

Polyandry and Sex Role Reversal

  • Andersson's 3-step hypothesis for polyandry.

Promiscuity

  • Scramble competition is indirect competition among individuals to gain multiple copulations.

Non-independent Mate Choice

  • Males may choose females based on their proximity to other females.

EPC (Extra Pair Copulations)

  • EPCs (extra-pair copulations) are copulations outside of the main mating pair.

Monogamy

  • Monogamy is when one male and one female are paired.
  • Monogamy is affected by habitat quality and predation risk.

Other Important Concepts

  • Nuptial Gifts (e.g., spermatophores) are gifts given by males to females to increase their mating success.
  • Weapons and Ornaments are traits used in competition for mates.
  • Runaway Selection is an evolutionary process where a trait and the female preference for that trait jointly increase in expression.

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Sexual Selection Notes PDF

Description

Explore the fascinating concepts of mate competition and selection with this quiz. Delve into intrasexual and intersexual selection, anisogamy, and parental investment theory. Test your understanding of key models and hypotheses that explain reproductive strategies in various species.

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