Unit 2- Sex And Behaviour Flashcards
(14 cards)
Compare energy investment between males and females.
Males produce more gametes but females invest more energy into offspring.
Parental investment is costly but increases the survival chances of offspring.
Describe R selected species.
Small, short lifespan, quick maturation, reproduce only once, large amount of offspring, parental care is limited, low survival chances. Occur in unstable environments.
Describe k selected species.
Large, long life span, slow maturation, reproduce multiple times, small amount of offspring, high parental care, high survival chances of offspring. Occur in stable environments.
Describe the costs and benefits of external fertilisation.
Cost: many gametes predated, limited parental care.
Benefit: very large number of offspring can be produced.
Describe the costs and benefits of internal fertilisation.
Costs: mate must be located, requires direct transfer of gametes.
Benefits: increased chance of fertilisation, higher survival rate.
What are the different mating systems?
Monogamy, polygamy, polygyny, polyandry.
Describe monogamy.
The mating of a pair of animals to the exclusion of all others.
Describe polygyny (polygamy).
One male mates exclusively with a group of females.
Describe polyandry (polygamy).
One female mates with a number of males in the same breeding season.
Describe a courtship ritual.
A set of display behaviours in which an animal, usually male, attempt to attract a mate.
Describe reversed sexual dimorphism.
Females are larger than males and less inconspicuous.
Describe female choice.
Involves females assessing honest signals of the fitness of males.
Describe honest signals.
Signals and behaviour in animals that are true representation of their biological fitness. They show favourable alleles.
Describe lekking
During a lek males will display for females in a communal area, female choice occurs. Dominant males occupy the centre of the lek, subordinates and juveniles are at the fringes as satellite males.
