Mating systems

1
Mating systems

• A conglomeration of characteristics of
  populations and individuals that affect
  reproduction

2
Mating systems

• Population attributes
• duration of breeding season

3
Mating systems

• Population attributes
• duration of breeding season
• extremely short (explosive)
• some insects, some frogs

4
Mating systems

• Population attributes
• duration of breeding season
• extremely short (explosive)
• some insects, some frogs
• short and seasonal - many birds, insects, mammals

5
Mating systems

• Population attributes
• duration of breeding season
• extremely short (explosive)
• some insects, some frogs
• short and seasonal - many birds, insects, mammals
• prolonged and episodic - many mammals

6
Mating systems

• Population attributes
• duration of breeding season
• extremely short (explosive)
• some insects, some frogs
• short and seasonal - many birds, insects, mammals
• prolonged and episodic - many mammals
• continuous - some insects, some fishes, some
  mammals

7
Mating systems

• Population attributes
• duration of breeding season
• dispersion of population
• even vs. clumped
• affects mate location tactics

8
Mating systems

• Population attributes
• duration of breeding season
• dispersion of population
• sex ratio
• population vs. operational
• affects male competition

9
Mating systems

• Population attributes
• duration of breeding season
• dispersion of population
• sex ratio
• Individual attributes
• number of mates per individual

10
Mating systems

• Population attributes
• duration of breeding season
• dispersion of population
• sex ratio
• Individual attributes
• number of mates per individual
• monogamy - relatively rare (but most birds are
  monogamous)

11
Mating systems

• Population attributes
• duration of breeding season
• dispersion of population
• sex ratio
• Individual attributes
• number of mates per individual
• monogamy - relatively rare
• polygyny - common

12
Mating systems

• Population attributes
• duration of breeding season
• dispersion of population
• sex ratio
• Individual attributes
• number of mates per individual
• monogamy - relatively rare
• polygyny - common
• polyandry - very rare

13
Mating systems

• Population attributes
• duration of breeding season
• dispersion of population
• sex ratio
• Individual attributes
• number of mates per individual
• mate location tactics

14
Mating systems

• Population attributes
• duration of breeding season
• dispersion of population
• sex ratio
• Individual attributes
• number of mates per individual
• mate location tactics
• reproductive competition

15
Mating systems

• Population attributes
• duration of breeding season
• dispersion of population
• sex ratio
• Individual attributes
• number of mates per individual
• mate location tactics
• reproductive competition
• mate choice

16
Mating systems

• Categories of mating systems based on number of
  mates per individual

17
Mating systems

• Monogamy
• Pair bonding
• more or less long-term
• based on individual recognition

18
Mating systems

• Monogamy
• Pair bonding
• Exclusive sexual access

19
Mating systems

• Monogamy
• Pair bonding
• Exclusive sexual access
• but with EPC in many species
• substantial cuckoldry occurs in many bird species

20
Mating systems

• Monogamy
• Pair bonding
• Exclusive sexual access
• Cooperation in parental care

21
Mating systems

• Monogamy
• Pair bonding
• Exclusive sexual access
• Cooperation in parental care
• Common in birds

22
Mating systems

• Monogamy
• Pair bonding
• Exclusive sexual access
• Cooperation in parental care
• Common in birds
• external development allows fathers to do
  parental care

23
Mating systems

• Monogamy
• Pair bonding
• Exclusive sexual access
• Cooperation in parental care
• Common in birds
• external development allows fathers to do
  parental care
• altricial young - helpless babies that require
  prolonged and extensive parental care

24
Mating systems

• Monogamy
• What about human monogamy?

25
Mating systems

• Monogamy
• What about human monogamy?
• Human babies are altricial - they require
  prolonged and extensive parental care

26
Mating systems

• Monogamy
• What about human monogamy?
• Human babies are altricial - they require
  prolonged and extensive parental care
• What is the best strategy for humans?

27
Mating systems

• Polygynous mating systems

28
Mating systems

• Polygynous mating systems
• resource defense polygyny

29
Mating systems

• Polygynous mating systems
• resource defense polygyny

Males occupy and defend exclusive territories
30
Mating systems

• polygynous mating systems
• resource defense polygyny

The territories contain resources that females
need for reproduction
TM
TM
TM
TM
TM
TM
TM territorial male
31
Mating systems

• polygynous mating systems
• resource defense polygyny

The territories contain resources that females
need for reproduction
TM
TM
TM
TM
TM
This could be bullfrogs, carpenter bees, collared
lizards, red-winged blackbirds.
TM
TM territorial male
32
Mating systems

• polygynous mating systems
• resource defense polygyny

Females choose males based on quality of their
territories
F
TM
TM
F
F
TM
F
TM
F
TM
F
TM
TM
33
Mating systems

• polygynous mating systems
• resource defense polygyny

Males with high-quality territories mate with
many females
F
F
TM
TM
F
F
sm
F
sm
sm
TM
F
sm
F
TM
satellite males occasionally intercept females at
the edges of territories
F
F
TM
F
sm
TM
sm
F
F
MOVE THIS SLIDE
34
Mating systems
Males with high-quality territories mate with
many females

• polygynous mating systems
• resource defense polygyny

F
F
TM
TM
F
F
TM
F
F
TM
F
F
TM
F
TM
F
TM
F
F
35
Mating systems
Do humans practice polygyny?
36
Mating systems
37
Mating systems
38
Mating systems
39
Mating systems

• Polygynous mating systems
• female defense polygyny

40
Mating systems

• Polygynous mating systems
• female defense polygyny
• The moose model

41
Mating systems

• Polygynous mating systems
• female defense polygyny
• The moose model
• Do humans?

42
Mating systems

• Polygynous mating systems
• female defense polygyny
• The moose model
• Do humans?
• The Sultan Ishmael model
• The Chinese Emperor

43
Mating systems

• Polyandrous mating systems
• (with sex role reversal)
• extraordinarily rare because

44
Mating systems

• Polyandrous mating systems
• (with sex role reversal)
• The Phalarope model

45
Mating systems

• Polyandrous mating systems
• resource defense polyandry

Females occupy and defend exclusive
territories The territories contain nest sites
males incubate eggs and care for young Females
court males and compete with each other for males
(male PI)
M
M
TF
M
TF
TF
M
M
M
TF
M
M
TF
M
Some females mate with multiple males
TF
M