Final answer:
Males make trade-offs in reproductive investment by expending energy on mating displays and parenting effort, which can limit further reproduction. Females often choose mates based on these displays, potentially preferring genetic quality over quantity of offspring, reflecting differing reproductive strategies between the sexes.
Step-by-step explanation:
The trade-offs that males make when they invest in their offspring involve allocating energy and resources into attracting a mate and subsequent parenting, which can reduce their ability to continue reproducing. For example, some males engage in extensive courtship rituals or develop elaborate ornaments, such as a peacock's colorful tail, under the influence of sexual selection. These features may impress potential mates and signify the males' genetic fitness, potentially leading to healthier but fewer offspring. On the other hand, such traits can also come with survival costs, like increased visibility to predators.
Females, however, often have the option to select mates based on these secondary sexual characteristics, according to the good genes hypothesis, as these traits may signal the male's superior genetics which can be passed on to the offspring. Although such selective behavior could reduce their number of offspring, the benefits of producing more fit progeny can potentially increase the chances of their survival, making the trade-off potentially advantageous. This suggests that while both males and females make trade-offs in relation to offspring, their strategies and options differ due to their distinct roles in reproduction.