Question

Your are studying the potential for sexual conflict in two species of birds. Species one is monogamous, while males and females of species tow both mate repeatedly. In which species would you expect sexual conflict to be stronger?

Answer 1

Sexual conflict would be stronger in species two compared to species one due to the difference in their mating systems.

Step-by-step explanation:

In the given scenario, where species one is monogamous and species two has male and females mating repeatedly, sexual conflict would be stronger in species two.

Monogamous species, like species one, tend to have lower sexual conflict because both the male and female are invested in the parental care of the offspring. This reduces the potential for conflict between the sexes. In species two, where males and females mate repeatedly, there is a higher chance for sexual conflict to arise. Males may try to maximize their reproductive success by mating with multiple females, while the females may try to choose mates that provide the most resources or parental care.

Overall, the difference in mating systems between the two species leads to a greater potential for sexual conflict in species two.