Evolution of reproductive strategies: sex roles, sex ratios and phylogenies

Behavioural variations associated with breeding—termed reproductive strategies—are some of the striking behaviours that have occupied naturalists for 1000s of years. How an animal seeks, competes for and/or chooses a mate? Do they breed with a single partner, or do they change partners between breeding events? How and when do they look after their young? Behavioural biologists, ecologists and evolutionary biologists have investigated these questions using quantitative methods since 1970s. In Debrecen, with the support and mentoring of Prof Zoltán Varga, we are investigating the causes and implications of reproductive strategies since 1988. This article reviews some of the core ideas in reproductive strategies research and explains the influence of Prof Varga on the development of these ideas. My main thesis here is that both integrative thinking and adopting a multi-pronged research approach using an explicit phylogenetic framework—both of these have been spearheaded by Prof Varga throughout his lifetime—can reveal novel aspects of reproductive strategies. Importantly, some of these academic insights have direct implications for preserving species and their habitats in the wild, and thus benefit biodiversity conservation.