ANT 2033 Lecture Notes - Lecture 10: Natural Selection, Scramble Competition, Sexual Selection
Document Summary
September 22, 2016: differences in reproductive strategies: Recap: female reproductive success is limited by access to resources, male reproductive success is limited by access to females, sexual selection a. Inter-sexual = female choice: sexual dimorphism, body size, canine size, similar canine and body size = monogamous. High rank raises the rate of reproductive success. Infanticides are associated with changes in residence or status (85%) Males kill other male"s infants, not their own (only 7% of males who commit infanticide are sexually active at the time of infanticide) Infanticidal males achieve reproductive benefits (in 45-70% cases the male reproduces with the female whose infant he killed) Easier to ward off predators: potential for cooperative defense, the selfish herd effect, the vigilance effect. Lower chance of getting eaten/killed: the confusion effect. Social benefits: learning is easier, finding a mate is easier, sharing information is easier, assistance in rearing offspring, divisions of labor are possible.
