Data from: Weaponry and defenses in fighting animals: how allometry can alter predictions from contest theory

Theoretical models have been developed to understand how animals decide to
withdraw from a contest. They provide testable predictions regarding the
relationship between resource holding potential (RHP) and contest duration
that assume linear relationships among RHP traits. However, RHP traits
might scale with body size according to power laws. Furthermore,
investment across different RHP traits may vary. Herein, we provide a
model that encompasses the allometric relationship between body size and
other RHP traits. First, we partition RHP traits into “offensive” traits
(i.e., the ability to inflict damage) and “defensive” traits (i.e.,
persistence in a contest). Defensive traits may in turn be subdivided into
“damage endurance” (DE) or the ability to absorb damage and “stamina.” We
then model scenarios where: 1) there are power relationships among RHP
traits; 2) individuals invest differently in defensive and offensive
traits; 3) offensive traits and DE have a positive/negative relationship
with body size. We modeled sized-matched injurious contests where 1)
offensive capacity (OC) increases superlinearly with body size, 2) DE
increases superlinearly, and 3) OC increases superlinearly but DE
increases sublinearly. Our analyses indicate that if RHP traits scale
linearly current predictions are upheld for injurious contests—contest
duration increases with body size. However, with power relationships we
can expect nonlinear relationships. Here, contest duration increased with
body size until a maximum, decreasing afterwards. Thus, considering
allometric relationships between body size and RHP traits may lead to new
insights in animal contest theory and may help to solve discrepancies
between current theory and empirical data.