The effect of manipulating female condition on the area of sexual conflict over incubation If, however, the two curves cross above the threshold ( Figure 4d), there will be conflict between the parents. When neither parent can do all the work alone there is no ESS, because each will be able to exploit the other by slacking off, therefore obliging the partner to fully compensate. There will, however, be limits to the “laziness” of each partner. These limits function to maintain biparental care. Neither parent will want to do so little work that their partner is pushed over its abandonment threshold, thereby ruining the breeding attempt for both parents. This means there is a threshold for each parent beyond which exploiting their partner does not pay, as they would forfeit the current breed...