Ruffs and Reeves:
As with nearly all evolutionary concepts, the deciding factor that determines behavior is the return on investment regarding behaviors, morphology and reproductive success. Evidence of this is reinforced by the dichotomous mating systems observed in Reeves. Males of is species fall into one of 2 categories depending on their allele distribution. Homozygous males have darker feathers and are territorial while the heterozygous males are lighter colored and act as satellite wanders. As seen in Leks and other group settings, species who control territories often have a higher reproductive success rate. However, they also expend more energy by protecting their territory and engaging in displays to reinforce their dominance. Conversely, the wandering males expend far less energy during the breeding season, but have a reduced reproductive success rate. This dual-reproductive system has been conserved as the ratios of resource allocation: reproductive success are roughly equivalent between the 2 phenotypes. This shows that breeding systems are not only complicated, but can even vary between individuals in a single species.
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