Alternative Reproductive Tactics An Integrative Approach

About this book

The study of alternative reproductive tactics (the behavioural strategies used by individuals to increase their reproductive success) is an evolutionary puzzle, and one of great interest to researchers. For instance, why do some males guard both nest and eggs, while others sneak into nests while pairs are spawning and fertilise those eggs? The field offers a special opportunity to study the evolution and functional causes of phenotypic variation, which is a general problem in the field of evolutionary biology.

By integrating both mechanistic (psychological) and evolutionary (behavioural ecology) perspectives and by covering a great diversity of species, Alternative Reproductive Tactics addresses this integrated topic of longstanding interest, bringing together a multitude of otherwise scattered information in an accessible form that is ideal for graduate students and researchers.

Contents

Preface / Rui F. Oliveira, Michael Taborsky and H. Jane Brockmann
1. The evolution of alternative mating tactics: concepts and questions / Michael Taborsky, Rui F. Oliveira and H. Jane Brockmann

Part I. Ultimate Causes and Origins of ARTs
2. Alternative reproductive tactics and the evolution of alternative allocation phenotypes / H. Jane Brockmann and Michael Taborsky
3. Phylogenetic analysis of alternative reproductive tactics - Problems and possibilities / Vítor C. Almada and Joana I. Robalo
4. Modeling alternative mating tactics as dynamic games / Jeffrey R. Lucas and Richard D. Howard

Part II. Proximate Mechanisms of ARTs
5. The roles of genes and the environment in the expression and evolution of alternative tactics / Douglas J. Emlen
6. Neuroendocrine mechanisms of alternative reproductive tactics: the chemical language of reproductive and social plasticity / Andrew H. Bass and Paul M. Forlano
7. Hormones and alternative reproductive tactics in vertebrates / Rui F. Oliveira, Adelino V. M. Canario and Albert F. H. Ros

Part III. Taxonomic Reviews of ARTs
8. Alternative reproductive tactics in insects / H. Jane Brockmann
9. The expression of crustacean mating strategies / Stephen M. Shuster
10. Alternative reproductive tactics in fish / Michael Taborsky
11. Alternative reproductive tactics in amphibians / Kelly R. Zamudio and Lauren M. Chan
12. Alternative reproductive tactics in reptiles / Ryan Calsbeek and Barry Sinervo
13. Alternative reproductive tactics in birds / Oliver Krüger
14. Alternative reproductive tactics in nonprimate male mammals / Jerry O. Wolff
15. Alternative reproductive tactics in primates / Joanna M. Setchell

Part IV. Emerging Perspectives on ARTs
16. Communication and the evolution of alternative reproductive tactics / David Gonçalves, Rui F. Oliveira and Peter K. McGregor
17. Alternative mating tactics and mate choice for good genes or good care / Brian Neff
18. Conflict between the sexes and alternative reproductive tactics within a sex / Suzanne H. Alonzo
19. Cooperative breeding as an alternative reproductive tactic / Walter D. Koenig and Janis L. Dickinson
20. Integrating mechanisms and function: prospects for future research / H. Jane Brockmann, Rui Oliveira and Michael Taborsky

Customer Reviews

Biography

Rui F. Oliveira is Associate Professor in Behavioural Biology at the Instituto Superior de Psicologia Aplicada, Portugal. He is a consulting Editor of the Hormones and Behaviour journal and Chief-Editor of the Acta Ethologica journal. He also served on the council of the Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour between 1999 and 2004.

H. Jane Brockmann is currently a Professor of Zoology at the University of Florida. She has extensive teaching experience in Animal Behavior, Ethology, Behavioral Ecology and Evolution and has been awarded many honors, including the Animal Behavior Society's Distinguished Service Award in 2000.


Contributors:
- Rui F. Oliveira
- Michael Taborsky
- H. Jane Brockmann
- Vítor C. Almada
- Joana I. Robalo
- Jeffrey R. Lucas
- Richard D. Howard
- Douglas J. Emlen
- Andrew H. Bass
- Paul M. Forlano
- Adelino V. M. Canario
- Albert F. H. Ros
- Stephen M. Shuster
- Kelly R. Zamudio
- Lauren M. Chan
- Ryan Calsbeek
- Barry Sinervo
- Jerry O. Wolff
- Joanna M. Setchell
- David Gonçalves
- Peter K. McGregor
- Brian Neff
- Suzanne H. Alonzo
- Walter D. Koenig
- Janis L. Dickinson