The Myth of Monogamy: Fidelity and Infidelity in Animals and People by David P. Barash; Judith Eve Lipton Page B
Authors: David P. Barash; Judith Eve Lipton
Ads: Link
fathered.
On the other hand, more effort is probably required to rear hungry, fast-growing chicks than to build a nest or sit on the eggs. So male birds may put more effort into chick-rearing simply because, at this point, females are less able to succeed as single parents.
50 THE MYTH OF MONOGAMY
The decision for many males comes down to this: Seek EPCs or be a stay-at-home parent. It is a trade-off between two kinds of striving: mating effort (trying to obtain as many copulations as possible) versus parental effort (trying to enhance the success of those copulations already achieved). Males typically do whichever offers a better return. For example, if there are fertile females nearby, EPCs--mating effort--may be favored; if there are lots of predators, parental effort; if there are lots of other gallivanters, mate-guarding combined perhaps with parental effort; if your offspring have especially high metabolic needs, parental effort; if your mate has likely copulated with other males, less parental effort and more mating effort (with that same female or others); and so forth.
Earlier, we encountered hoary marmots, caught in the dilemma of whether to mate-guard or gallivant in search of EPCs. Sometimes these animals live rather isolated lives, the basic unit consisting of one adult male, one or two adult females, and their offspring, with no one else nearby. In other situations, hoary marmots occupy bustling colonies, such that although a male is likely to mate with one or two nearby females, there are also many additional females--and males--in the immediate vicinity. It turns out that isolated males are rather good fathers, highly attentive to their young, whereas those occupying busy colonies spend their time wandering about in search of EPCs or mate-guarding, defending their females from other males in search of EPCs. Their offspring get short shrift.
We have long known that there is considerable variation in the extent of male parental care; generally, those species more inclined to monogamy are more likely to be good fathers. Recently, it has become clear that there is also quite a range of paternal behavior within most species as well. Attractive males usually provide less parental care, so that females end up doing relatively more mothering when they are paired with "hunks." This tendency is captured in the seemingly dry title of this scientific article: "Paternal Contribution to Offspring Condition Is Predicted by Size of Male Secondary Sexual Characteristic." The greater the male's secondary sex characteristics, the less his contribution. It is as though desirable males know they are desirable, and so they are likely to shop that desirability around; by the same token, those "lucky" females who get to mate with such studs find themselves less lucky when they are stuck with most of the household chores.
Imagine, for example, a type of bird in which males with bright red spots are especially successful in seducing females. Now imagine a male whose spots are particularly bright and red: Because he is so sexy, his efforts at EPCs are likely to bear fruit, and so .he spends most of his time gallivanting about, leaving his mate to pitch in with the kids to make up for the deficit.
undermining the myth: males 51
Don't expend too much pity on Mrs. Stud, however: First of all, it was her choice to mate with the lazy, conceited jerk, and second, in all likelihood she will profit genetically from the transaction, since her sons will probably inherit their father's dashing good looks--as well as his lousy paternal habits--and also, therefore, his attractiveness to a new generation of eager females. As a result, the hardworking female will likely have more grandchildren via her male offspring.
Incidentally, long-tailed male barn swallows fly less efficiently than their short-tailed counterparts, so the fact that such males are more inclined to be dead-beat dads may be due at least in part to the fact that it is more
On the other hand, more effort is probably required to rear hungry, fast-growing chicks than to build a nest or sit on the eggs. So male birds may put more effort into chick-rearing simply because, at this point, females are less able to succeed as single parents.
50 THE MYTH OF MONOGAMY
The decision for many males comes down to this: Seek EPCs or be a stay-at-home parent. It is a trade-off between two kinds of striving: mating effort (trying to obtain as many copulations as possible) versus parental effort (trying to enhance the success of those copulations already achieved). Males typically do whichever offers a better return. For example, if there are fertile females nearby, EPCs--mating effort--may be favored; if there are lots of predators, parental effort; if there are lots of other gallivanters, mate-guarding combined perhaps with parental effort; if your offspring have especially high metabolic needs, parental effort; if your mate has likely copulated with other males, less parental effort and more mating effort (with that same female or others); and so forth.
Earlier, we encountered hoary marmots, caught in the dilemma of whether to mate-guard or gallivant in search of EPCs. Sometimes these animals live rather isolated lives, the basic unit consisting of one adult male, one or two adult females, and their offspring, with no one else nearby. In other situations, hoary marmots occupy bustling colonies, such that although a male is likely to mate with one or two nearby females, there are also many additional females--and males--in the immediate vicinity. It turns out that isolated males are rather good fathers, highly attentive to their young, whereas those occupying busy colonies spend their time wandering about in search of EPCs or mate-guarding, defending their females from other males in search of EPCs. Their offspring get short shrift.
We have long known that there is considerable variation in the extent of male parental care; generally, those species more inclined to monogamy are more likely to be good fathers. Recently, it has become clear that there is also quite a range of paternal behavior within most species as well. Attractive males usually provide less parental care, so that females end up doing relatively more mothering when they are paired with "hunks." This tendency is captured in the seemingly dry title of this scientific article: "Paternal Contribution to Offspring Condition Is Predicted by Size of Male Secondary Sexual Characteristic." The greater the male's secondary sex characteristics, the less his contribution. It is as though desirable males know they are desirable, and so they are likely to shop that desirability around; by the same token, those "lucky" females who get to mate with such studs find themselves less lucky when they are stuck with most of the household chores.
Imagine, for example, a type of bird in which males with bright red spots are especially successful in seducing females. Now imagine a male whose spots are particularly bright and red: Because he is so sexy, his efforts at EPCs are likely to bear fruit, and so .he spends most of his time gallivanting about, leaving his mate to pitch in with the kids to make up for the deficit.
undermining the myth: males 51
Don't expend too much pity on Mrs. Stud, however: First of all, it was her choice to mate with the lazy, conceited jerk, and second, in all likelihood she will profit genetically from the transaction, since her sons will probably inherit their father's dashing good looks--as well as his lousy paternal habits--and also, therefore, his attractiveness to a new generation of eager females. As a result, the hardworking female will likely have more grandchildren via her male offspring.
Incidentally, long-tailed male barn swallows fly less efficiently than their short-tailed counterparts, so the fact that such males are more inclined to be dead-beat dads may be due at least in part to the fact that it is more
Similar Books
