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Alternative reproductive tactics and status-dependent selection

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  • Jonathan S.F. Lee

Abstract

The status-dependent selection model on alternative reproductive tactics predicts a single switch-point in status: usually all players above some status (e.g., competitive ability) should practice the tactic with the higher average payoff, while those below that point should make the "best of a bad job" by practicing the alternative, lower payoff tactic. Many empirical studies indeed show a relationship between status and tactic choice, but they do not conform to this single switch-point prediction. I modify the status-dependent selection model by considering status-dependent fitness that is mediated, at least in part, by resource acquisition (e.g., status-based competition for territories or nuptial gifts). With variation in resource quality, predicted tactic-choice distributions change: a high-status male may be territorial on a high-quality territory, a lower status male may practice an alternative tactic, and an even lower status male may be territorial on a low-quality territory. Tactic choice thus alternates as in many empirical studies and can appear to be but is not actually stochastic. As the number of theoretically predicted switch-points increases, however, mixed or mixed-conditional strategies should become more prevalent. While alternative tactics will likely usually differ in mean payoff, viewing alternative reproductive tactics as inherently "better" or "worse" (e.g., viewing cuckoldry as "worse"--the best of a bad job) is misleading if not tempered with awareness that payoff can vary greatly within tactics and overlap between tactics. Copyright 2005.

Suggested Citation

  • Jonathan S.F. Lee, 2005. "Alternative reproductive tactics and status-dependent selection," Behavioral Ecology, International Society for Behavioral Ecology, vol. 16(3), pages 566-570, May.
  • Handle: RePEc:oup:beheco:v:16:y:2005:i:3:p:566-570
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1093/beheco/ari030
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    Cited by:

    1. Clare C. Rittschof & Samantha A. Hilber & M. Scarlett Tudor & Colette M. St Mary, 2012. "Modeling male reproductive strategies and optimal mate number in an orb-web spider," Behavioral Ecology, International Society for Behavioral Ecology, vol. 23(1), pages 1-10.

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