Differential Allocation in Parental Care - as a Strategy to Retain High Quality Partners

Abstract

The differential allocation hypothesis predicts a trade-off between current and future reproduction that is affected by the attractiveness of the current mate. Here, I present an individual-based simulation model where a female can retain a male by increasing her reproductive investment, with subsequent energetic cost to her future investment possibilities. It shows that, under various alternative benefit-cost scenarios, females should evolve to invest more in order to retain high quality males. This model suggests various future modelling opportunities to extend the concept of mate retention through differential allocation.