Why do males cooperate with a competitor? Benefits of co-display in Ruffs (Philomachus pugnax) ...

• Main Authors: Belojevic, Jelena, Küpper, Clemens, Kupán, Krisztina
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: unknown
• Published: OSF Registries 2021
• Subjects: Life Sciences; Philomachus pugnax
• Online Access: https://dx.doi.org/10.17605/osf.io/b6f7e; https://osf.io/b6f7e/

Intense sexual selection usually leads to strong male-male competition over reproduction. In extremely competitive environments, males can increase their reproductive success by employing alternative reproductive tactics or/and engage in cooperation with other males (Taborsky et al. 2008; Díaz-Muñoz 2014). Mathematical models showed that cooperation can have different costs and benefits for the participants based on their ranks (van Schaik et al. 2004). Lower ranking males might establish coalitions against the dominant male(s) either to deprive them from their rank and occupy their niche in the hierarchy (all-up, rank changing coalitions), or take matings away from them and thus, increase their own reproductive success while flattening the payoff distributions (non-rank changing, leveling coalitions). On the other hand, dominant individuals are predicted to team up with low ranking partners if they can help a lower ranking relative increase its rank. Alternatively, they might team up with other higher ...