Models of Male and Mutual Mate Choice

University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill NC

Investigators

Abstract

Understanding the ways in which animals choose mates has applications that include determining the necessary population size and structure for conserving vulnerable species, assessing the chance of hybridization between species, and helping to predict the spread of genes throughout populations. The large majority of the mathematical models of mate choice in animals are based on the premise that males mate indiscriminately while females are choosy. A growing body of evidence across species suggests, however, that males often are not indiscriminate. This grant will develop basic mathematical models of mate choice when males, as well as females, are selective in choosing mates. It will assess under what conditions males would gain genetic benefits from mate choice and determine how this is affected by whether individuals in the species form pair bonds. These developments will render current theory of mate choice more realistic and more broadly applicable. There is wide recognition of the growing need for biologists to have mathematical training and expertise. Under the broader impacts of a previous NSF grant the PI has been developing a mathematical track in a biology core class at UNC that is dedicated to increasing this training especially for women, an under-represented group in mathematics. The track uses a variety of techniques to reduce math anxiety, a problem documented to affect women more than men. This grant will continue and broaden this training by adding a module in which students in the mathematical track participate in tutorials in mathematical biology for the broader core class.