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Resource Defense Polygyny

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Encyclopedia of Animal Cognition and Behavior

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Synonyms

Polygyny

Definition

Resource defense polygyny is a mating system, whereby males of a species control a resource or territory necessary for successful female reproduction, and in which the male will mate with more than one female during a breeding season.

Introduction

Resource defense polygyny is one of several different types of mating systems often observed in habitats with variation in the quality and distribution of resources. Different species will require different types of resources when determining habitat quality during the reproductive period. Factors that may increase the likelihood of polygynous behavior include the dependence by the animal on certain features in the habitat and time and resource requirements for male parental care (Emlen and Oring 1977). Polygyny often occurs in habitats with scarce resources. Females may have the capacity to assess resource quality within a male’s territory and tolerate male polygynous behavior if her chance of reproduction...

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References

  • Emlen, S., & Oring, L. (1977). Ecology, sexual selection, and the evolution of mating systems. Science, 197(4300), 215–223. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.327542.

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  • García-Hernández, S., & Machado, G. (2018). Convergent fighting behavior in two species of Neotropical harvestmen (Opiliones): Insights on the evolution of maternal care and resource defense polygyny. Journal of Arachnology, 46(1), 165–169.

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  • Westneat, D. F., Sherman, P. W., & Morton, M. L. (1990). The ecology and evolution of extra-pair copulations in birds. In D. M. Power (Ed.), Current ornithology (pp. 331–369). New York: Plenum Press.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Aquaculture, Mississippi State, MS, USA

    Tayler Schudel & Kristine O. Evans

Authors
  1. Tayler Schudel
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  2. Kristine O. Evans
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Kristine O. Evans .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Oakland University , Rochester, MI, USA

    Jennifer Vonk

  2. Department of Psychology, Oakland University Department of Psychology, Rochester, MI, USA

    Todd Shackelford

Section Editor information

  1. The Institute for Marine Mammal Studies, Gulfport, MS, USA

    Mystera M. Samuelson

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Schudel, T., Evans, K.O. (2019). Resource Defense Polygyny. In: Vonk, J., Shackelford, T. (eds) Encyclopedia of Animal Cognition and Behavior. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-47829-6_1913-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-47829-6_1913-1

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-47829-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-47829-6

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