Human male reproduction exhibits distinct and derived features: Long-term reproductive partnerships, intensive paternal care including provisioning, shortened interbirth intervals, and later age-specific fertility than great ape comparisons

Men and reproduction: Perspectives from biological anthropology. Peter B. Gray, Alex Straftis, Kermyt G. Anderson. Chp in The Routledge Handbook of Anthropology and Reproduction, Routledge. ISBN 9781003216452. https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.4324/9781003216452-5/men-reproduction-peter-gray-alex-straftis-kermyt-anderson

Abstract: Charles Darwin left an intellectual legacy to human evolution and sexual selection that still frames our understanding of men and reproduction. Here, we take an integrative approach to men and reproduction and, like Darwin and his intellectual descendants, seek to incorporate evolutionary theory, comparative evidence, a life course approach, physiology, and human diversity. We discuss theoretical foundations, such as life history tradeoffs and proximate vs. ultimate causation. We turn to a model of male reproduction that highlights age-specific fertility and multiple modes of paternal contributions. Human male reproduction exhibits distinct and derived features: Long-term reproductive partnerships, intensive paternal care including provisioning, shortened interbirth intervals, and later age-specific fertility than great ape comparisons. Male contributions can include genetics, epigenetics, protection, provisioning, direct child care, and social transmission. While male investment is often sensitive to paternity and paternity certainty, stepfathering indicates other motivations beyond genetic paternity can shape investment. We discuss developmental, male–male competition, and female choice contributions to male reproduction. We then turn to consequences of reproduction for men, highlighting time allocation, relationship dynamics, physiological, health, and other primary impacts. Last, we touch on the consequences of men’s reproduction for other adults such as mates and for men’s children.