Conflict over reproduction dictates much behaviour

Three types of conflict over care:

[Textbook: Chapter 8](file:///home/northross/Documents/Books/IntroToBehaviouralEcology.pdf#%5B%7B%22num%22%3A1384%2C%22gen%22%3A0%7D%2C%7B%22name%22%3A%22FitH%22%7D%2C706%5D)

(i) Sexual conflict

• Both parents have genetic interest in raising young, but neither wants to pay the cost in energy expenditure

Hedge sparrow (dunnock) example:

• Two males compete over the female
• The female mates with another male, but the dominant male pecks her genitals to remove the other one's sperm
• But now both males will provide care to the young, believing that it is theirs

These birds can show monogamy, polygyny, polyandry or polygynandry. These have different levels of energetic expenditure and payoff in genetic offspring for males and females.

• Monogamous males and females both have 5 offspring on average
• polyandrous alpha males receive 4, beta males receive 2.7, females get 6.7. This is more common in messier gardens where beta males can hide.
• polygynandrous alpha males at 5.3, betas at 2.0, females at 3.7
• polygynous males with 7.6, females 3.8

Intralocus sexual conflict:

• Beetle example: TODO

Parent-offspring conflict

• Offpsring compete with paresntsfor resources

Sibling conflict

• offspring competing for parental care