Final answer:
Polygynous mating is when one male mates with multiple females, leading to the female being responsible for most of the parental care. Monogamous mating involves one male and one female paired for at least one breeding season. It has benefits such as preventing other males from mating with the female and ensuring healthier offspring.
Step-by-step explanation:
Polygynous mating refers to one male mating with multiple females. In these situations, the female must be responsible for most of the parental care as the single male is not capable of providing care to that many offspring. In resourced-based polygyny, males compete for territories with the best resources, and then mate with females that enter the territory, drawn to its resource richness. The female benefits by mating with a dominant, genetically fit male; however, it is at the cost of having no male help in caring for the offspring.
In monogamous systems, one male and one female are paired for at least one breeding season. Several explanations have been proposed for this type of mating system. The “mate-guarding hypothesis” states that males stay with the female to prevent other males from mating with her. Another explanation is the "male-assistance hypothesis," where males that remain with a female to help guard and rear their young will have more and healthier offspring. A third explanation for the evolutionary advantages of monogamy is the "female-enforcement hypothesis."