Models of parent-offspring conflict. II. Promiscuity.

The population genetics of Trivers (1974) concept of parent-offspring is examined for species in which the effects of the conflict are felt by future half-sibs, as in promiscuous mating systems in which the male shows no parental care. Whether or not a rare conflictor gene will spread in a non-conflictor population depends on f(m) greater than (m + 1)/(0.5m + 1.5) for a dominant gene, and on f(m) greater than 1/4(7 + 3) for a recessive gene; f(m) is the fitness gained by a conflictor relative to a non-conflictor offspring [f(m) greater than 1], and m is the amount of parental investment taken by a conflictor relative to m = 1 for a non-conflictor. The ESS value for conflict (mo) in promiscuous species with zero male parental care has mo = f(mo)/4[df(mo)/dmo]. However, where the male maintains the same harem for several breeding seasons, or where there is promiscuity but both sexes contribute equally to parental care, conditions for conflict are equivalent to monogamy.