Understanding variation in reproductive skew: directions for future empirical research
Understanding variation in reproductive skew: directions for future empirical research
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DOI：
10.1017/cbo9780511641954.017
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发表时间：
2009-01-01
期刊：
影响因子：
--
通讯作者：
Hodge, Sarah J.
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
Hodge, Sarah J.
生殖偏态模型为理解动物社会的生殖共享方式提供了强有力的理论工具。然而，从经验上检验偏倚模型已被证明是有问题的，部分原因是难以确保模型的所有假设都得到满足，部分原因是待检验的参数往往与可能影响偏倚的其他因素相关。在主宰和从属同样有能力成功繁殖的社会中，两套广泛的过程可能同时起作用，影响生殖倾斜。首先，生殖偏态很可能受到从属生殖对优势雌性的代价程度的影响，因为只有在优势雌性从中受益的情况下，才会期望它们破坏从属的繁殖尝试。其次，繁殖偏态很可能受到支配者能够破坏从属繁殖尝试的程度的影响。在测试竞争性倾斜模型的预测之前，实证工作应该调查有关物种生殖倾斜变异的潜在原因。这将涉及对以下方面的详细调查：(1)影响雌性繁殖成功的因素，这些因素不是其他各方干扰的结果（如年龄、状况、获得无关的繁殖伴侣）；(2)优势个体和从属个体共同繁殖时的成本和收益；(3)竞争双方为了最大限度地提高自己的繁殖成功率而使用的策略。这应该能够深入了解观察到的偏度水平在多大程度上对任何竞争方都是最优的，这将更好地了解哪一方控制着繁殖，哪些偏度模型是适用的。这些信息可以用来识别那些对特定模型系统（如果有的话）做出适当假设的倾斜模型，然后测试它们的预测。虽然现有的倾斜模型确实包含了许多可能影响生殖倾斜的因素，但在一些情况下，这些模型不能轻易适用。未来的理论工作将包括下属因为身体状况不佳或无法获得无关的交配伴侣而不繁殖的情况，以及那些在下属繁殖时占主导地位的雌性只付出很少或没有初始成本的情况，这些情况可能会取得丰硕成果。
Reproductive skew models provide a powerful theoretical tool for understanding the way reproduction is shared in animal societies. However, testing skew models empirically has proved problematic, partly due to the difficulties of ensuring that all the assumptions of the model have been met, and partly because the parameters to be tested often correlate with other factors likely to influence skew.Two broad sets of processes are likely to act in tandem to influence reproductive skew in societies where dominants and subordinates are equally capable of breeding successfully. First, reproductive skew is likely to be influenced by the extent to which subordinate reproduction is costly to dominant females, as dominants would only be expected to disrupt subordinate breeding attempts if they benefit from doing so. Second, reproductive skew is likely to be influenced by the extent to which dominants are able to disrupt subordinate breeding attempts.Before testing the predictions of competing skew models, empirical work should investigate the underlying causes of variation in reproductive skew in the species in question. This will involve a detailed investigation of (1) the factors that influence female breeding success that are not a consequence of interference from other parties (such as age, condition, access to unrelated breeding partners); (2) the costs and benefits that dominant and subordinate individuals experience when breeding together; and (3) the tactics that competing parties use to maximize their own breeding success. This should yield insights into the extent to which the observed level of skew is optimal for either competing party, which would provide better knowledge of which party is in control of reproduction and which skew models are applicable. This information could be used to identify those skew models that make assumptions appropriate to particular model systems (if any), and then to test their predictions.While existing skew models do encompass many of the factors likely to influence reproductive skew, there are a number of situations in which they cannot be readily applied. Future theoretical work to encompass situations where subordinates do not breed because they are in poor physical condition or because they do not have access to unrelated mating partners, and those where dominant females suffer little or no initial cost when subordinates breed, are likely to be fruitful.