Effects of season length and uniparental care efficiency on the evolution of parental care

Parental care patterns differ enormously among and even within species. In Chinese penduline tits (Remiz pendulinus), for example, biparental care, female-only care, male-only care, and biparental desertion all occur in the same population; moreover, the distribution of care patterns differs systematically between populations. By means of an individual-based model, we show that such diversity can readily evolve. We report five main findings. First, under a broad range of parameters, different care patterns (e.g. male care and biparental care) coexist at equilibrium. Second, for many parameters, alternative evolutionary outcomes are possible; this can explain differences in care patterns across populations. Third, rapid evolutionary transitions can occur between alternative equilibria; this can explain the often-reported evolutionary lability of parental care patterns. Fourth, season length has a strong but non-monotonic effect on the evolved care patterns. Fifth, when uniparental care e...物种间乃至同一物种内部的育幼行为模式均存在显著差异。以中华攀雀（Remiz pendulinus）为例，同一种群中可同时出现双亲育幼、单亲雌性育幼、单亲雄性育幼与双亲弃巢四种育幼模式；此外，不同种群间的育幼模式分布存在系统性差异。本研究借助个体基模型（individual-based model）证实，这类育幼模式的多样性可快速演化产生。本文共报告五项核心发现：其一，在广泛的参数范围内，不同育幼模式（如雄性育幼与双亲育幼）可在演化均衡状态下共存；其二，对多数参数而言，可存在多种演化结局，这能够解释不同种群间育幼模式的差异；其三，不同演化均衡状态间可发生快速演化转变，这可解释学界常报道的育幼模式演化易变性；其四，繁殖季时长对演化得到的育幼模式具有显著但非单调的影响；其五，当单亲育幼……