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Competition, coercion, and choice: The sex lives of female olive baboons (Papio anubis)

Walz, Jessica Terese, Walz
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1462728461

Abstract Details

2016, Doctor of Philosophy, Ohio State University, Anthropology.
Since Darwin first described his theory of sexual selection, evolutionary biologists have used this framework to understand the potential for morphological, physiological, and behavioral traits to evolve within each sex. Recently, researchers have revealed important nuances in effects of sexual coercion, intersexual conflict, and sex role reversals. Among our closest relatives living in complex societies in which individuals interact outside of just the context of mating, the sexual and social lives of individuals are tightly intertwined. An important challenge to biological anthropologists is demonstrating whether female opportunities for mate choice are overridden by male-male competitive and male-female coercive strategies that dominate multi-male, multi-female societies. In this dissertation, I explore interactions between these various mechanisms of competition, coercion, and choice acting on the lives of female olive baboons (Papio anubis) to determine how they may influence expression of female behavioral and vocal signals, copulatory success with specific males, and the role of female competition in influencing mating patterns. I found females solicit specific males around the time of ovulation. Although what makes some males more preferred is less clear, there is evidence females choose males who might be better future protectors – males who will have long group tenures and are currently ascending the hierarchy. Preference translates into higher copulation rates and success at consort takeovers, there is little support that this is simply based on male aggression toward females. Outside the fertile window female copulations were more likely related to male aggression and male dominance rank. Additionally, I found evidence that copulation calls of female olive baboons indicate ovulation and may function to encourage specific males to guard or continue mating with females. However, some of the temporal features of calls indicate a function for paternity confusion. Finally, cycling females were targeted for more aggression than they gave, suggesting aggression among females may limit reproductive competition. However, among ovulating females in consort with preferred males, most aggression was directed toward lactating females. These are females who present the biggest threat for cycling females to develop a bond with a future male “friend.” In baboons, establishing nonsexual friendships is valuable in terms of mother and infant protection. Overall, I showed that the social and sexual lives of female olive baboons differ as they approach periods in their ovulatory cycles when they are more likely to conceive, and provide support for hypotheses suggesting female strategies, like darting, copulation calls, and proceptive behaviors toward males with certain qualities appear to serve as a graded signal that allows females to both encourage mating from preferred partners when near conception, but also encourage competition or paternity confusion when not fertile. Female strategies seem most focused on ensuring conception, but also may be important for establishing bonds with males for future protection. I also highlight important similarities and differences in male and female reproductive strategies across three savanna baboon species and consider how a synthesis of these unique strategies can help resolve questions about evolved sexual conflicts in the context of complex societies.
Dawn Kitchen (Advisor)
215 p.
Physical Anthropology
baboons; sexual selection; female mate choice; copulation calls

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Walz, Walz, J. T. (2016). Competition, coercion, and choice: The sex lives of female olive baboons (Papio anubis) [Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1462728461

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Walz, Walz, Jessica. Competition, coercion, and choice: The sex lives of female olive baboons (Papio anubis) . 2016. Ohio State University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1462728461.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Walz, Walz, Jessica. "Competition, coercion, and choice: The sex lives of female olive baboons (Papio anubis) ." Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University, 2016. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1462728461

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

osu1462728461
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This open access ETD is published by The Ohio State University and OhioLINK.