Mating Systems

This chapter looks into the evolution of mating systems, which relate to social associations and the number of sexual partners of an animal during a breeding season. It explains how animals showcase different mating systems and their selection of mates to maximize their fitness. Sexual conflict and environmental conditions influence the evolution of mating systems. The evolution of monogamy is favored by biparental care in line with territorial cooperation and mate guarding hypotheses. Polygyny and polyandry, on the other hand, evolve when one sex can defend multiple mates or resources. Additionally, the chapter establishes the differences between polygynandry and promiscuity in terms of the existence of social associations before tackling the conditions needed for scramble competition.