Mismatch between calf paternity and observed copulations between male and female reindeer (Rangifer tarandus): are female reindeer polyandrous?
In polygynous systems, such as that exhibited by reindeer (Rangifer tarandus), mate choice can be difficult to disentangle from male intrasexual competition because male behaviour may constrain female choice. Polyandry may provide an avenue for female mate choice, though it is difficult to identify...
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English |
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2020
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| Online Access: | https://spectrum.library.concordia.ca/id/eprint/987349/ https://spectrum.library.concordia.ca/id/eprint/987349/1/Coombs_MSc_F2020.pdf |
| Summary: | In polygynous systems, such as that exhibited by reindeer (Rangifer tarandus), mate choice can be difficult to disentangle from male intrasexual competition because male behaviour may constrain female choice. Polyandry may provide an avenue for female mate choice, though it is difficult to identify using behavioural estimators alone. Molecular techniques address this issue by affording ecologists an opportunity to reassess mating systems from a genetic perspective. We assessed the frequency and possible explanations for polyandry in reindeer using a genetic approach to determine the success of observed copulations in a semi-domesticated herd in Kaamanen, Finland. Behavioural and genetic data were synthesized with population characteristics over a seven-year period to test the hypothesis that, if present, polyandry in reindeer is driven by sexual harassment from sub-dominant males. Finally, we test for prevailing patterns in the mating order of females to address the feasibility of polyandry as a mechanism for defense against male infertility or post-copulatory selection. We observed polyandry in 42% of females, with as many as 60% exhibiting polyandry in certain years. We found no evidence that polyandry resulted from sexual harassment by sub-dominant males, suggesting that it is likely a deliberate strategy among females. Female preference for larger males persisted despite polyandrous behaviour, however, we found no influence of male body mass on mating order, or of mating order on match/mismatch. Consequently, neither post-copulatory selection nor defense against infertility can be ruled out as a driver of polyandry among female reindeer. |
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