Data from: Decomposing variation in male reproductive success: age-specific variances and covariances through extra-pair and within-pair reproduction

We thereby quantified age-specific (co)variances in male within-pair and extra-pair reproductive success (WPRS and EPRS) and the contributions of these (co)variances to the total variances in age-specific reproductive success and LRS. 4. ‘Additive’ decomposition showed that within-age and among-age (co)variances in WPRS across males aged 2–4 years contributed most to the total variance in LRS. Age-specific (co)variances in EPRS contributed relatively little.

However, extra-pair reproduction altered age-specific variances in reproductive success relative to the social mating system, and hence altered the relative contributions of age-specific reproductive success to the total variance in LRS. 5. ‘Independent’ decomposition showed that the (co)variances in age-specific WPRS, EPRS and total reproductive success, and the resulting opportunities for selection, varied substantially across males that survived to each age.

Furthermore, extra-pair reproduction increased the variance in age-specific reproductive success relative to the social mating system to a degree that increased across successive age classes. 6. This comprehensive decomposition of the total variances in age-specific reproductive success and LRS into age-specific (co)variances attributable to two reproductive routes showed that within-age and among-age covariances contributed substantially to the total variance and that extra-pair reproduction can alter the (co)variance structure of age-specific reproductive success.

Such covariances and impacts should consequently be integrated into theoretical assessments of demographic and evolutionary processes in age-structured populations.

Usage notes

Lebigre_et_al_JAE_Data_AdditiveMethod Lebigre_et_al_JAE_Data_IndependentMethod