Year
2026
Season
Spring
Paper Type
Master's Thesis
College
College of Arts and Sciences
Degree Name
Master of Science in Biology (MS)
Department
Biology
NACO controlled Corporate Body
University of North Florida. Department of Biology
Committee Chairperson
Dr. Quincy A. Gibson
Second Advisor
Dr. Matthew R. Gilg
Rights Statement
http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
Third Advisor
Dr. Eric G. Johnson
Department Chair
Dr. James Gelsleichter
College Dean
Dr. Kaveri Subrahmanyam
Abstract
Sexual conflict has led to the evolution of numerous male mating tactics and female countermeasures in bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops spp.). Some males in this genus form alliances of varying complexity to cooperatively mate-guard females, while others use a solitary approach. Though much is known about male reproductive strategy, relatively little is known about female reproductive strategies. Maternal investment is crucial to offspring survival and long-term reproductive success. Females exhibit great variation in nursing duration, sociality, and calf survival, hinting at the existence of a conditional strategy with alternative maternal investment tactics. More work is needed to understand the fitness consequences of female maternal investment strategies and how they interact with male mating tactics. In St. Johns River, Florida (SJR) male bottlenose dolphins (T. erebennus) exhibit multi-level male alliance structure matched only by Shark Bay, AUS. This similarity may be driven by a highly male biased operational sex ratio (OSR) intensifying competition. Chapter one characterizes female reproduction in the SJR, providing interbirth interval (IBIs, a proxy for OSR), birth seasonality, and calf survival data. IBIs for SJR females were one of the shortest documented in any study site suggesting that the OSR is unlikely to be a primary driver of male alliance complexity. Chapter two addresses our gap in understanding of female reproductive strategy in bottlenose dolphins, by examining the relationships between nursing duration, sociality, and reproductive outcomes and determining if there is evidence of distinct and consistent maternal investment strategies. We found that females with shorter nursing durations tended to achieve greater reproductive success, and females with larger average group sizes nursed their calves for shorter periods of time. Together, these chapters clarify the selective pressures that shape male alliance behavior and highlight the importance of studying female reproductive strategy in social species with substantial sexual conflict.
Suggested Citation
Pew, Megan Nicole, "Female reproductive parameters in a bottlenose dolphin community (Tursiops erebennus) with high male alliance complexity" (2026). UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations. 1414.
https://digitalcommons.unf.edu/etd/1414
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