Impacts of spatial learning on male prairie vole mating tactics in seminatural field enclosures are context dependent

Abstract

Mating systems, and individual mating tactics therein, are regularly defined by patterns of space use and are inherent reflections of spatial cognition. Despite this, spatial learning is rarely considered in the context of mating tactics. The goal of this study was to determine the relationship between spatial learning and the mating tactics that males adopt. Specifically, we asked whether spatial learning predicts the adoption of a particular tactic, whether the adoption of a particular tactic results in differences in spatial learning and/or whether individual variance in spatial learning is flexible or persistent across time and mating tactic experiences. To this end, we assessed spatial learning of male prairie voles, Microtus ochrogaster , under laboratory conditions before and after allowing them to live freely in seminatural field enclosures. Male prairie voles adopt two types of mating tactics, each with distinct patterns of space use. Monogamous ‘resident’ males have relatively small home ranges and exhibit high degrees of territory overlap with one female (partner) and very little with others. Wanderer males, by contrast, have large territories that overlap with multiple females and remain single. Our data revealed that spatial learning might be more associated with wandering behaviour overall when comparing between tactics. However, we also found that the significance of space use and mating behaviour was contextually dependent, and that spatial learning impacted space use uniquely within each tactic. The relationship with pre-test spatial learning explained the variance for some patterns of space use in the field for residents, and the relationship with post-test spatial learning explained the variance for some patterns of space use in the field for wanderers. Taken together, we conclude that differences in spatial learning ability and how they relate to mating tactics are contextual and best interpreted by examining within- and between-tactic variation. • We tested spatial learning in the lab and alternative mating tactics in the field. • Spatial learning relates to individual variation in space use among mating tactics. • Good spatial learning predicted space use most characteristic of monogamous males. • Good spatial learning related to uncharacteristic space use for nonmonogamous males. • Spatial cognition contextualizes reproductive decision making in prairie voles.