Document Detail


How effective are maternal effects at having effects?
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  16615217     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
The well studied trade-off between offspring size and offspring number assumes that offspring fitness increases with increasing per-offspring investment. Where mothers differ genetically or exhibit plastic variation in reproductive effort, there can be variation in per capita investment in offspring, and via this trade-off, variation in fecundity. Variation in per capita investment will affect juvenile performance directly--a classical maternal effect--while variation in fecundity will also affect offspring performance by altering the offsprings' competitive environment. The importance of this trade-off, while a focus of evolutionary research, is not often considered in discussions about population dynamics. Here, we use a factorial experiment to determine what proportion of variation in offspring performance can be ascribed to maternal effects and what proportion to the competitive environment linked to the size-number trade-off. Our results suggest that classical maternal effects are significant, but that in our system, the competitive environment, which is linked to maternal environments by fecundity, can be a far more substantial influence.
Authors:
Andrew P Beckerman; Tim G Benton; Craig T Lapsley; Nils Koesters
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Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't    
Journal Detail:
Title:  Proceedings. Biological sciences / The Royal Society     Volume:  273     ISSN:  0962-8452     ISO Abbreviation:  Proc. Biol. Sci.     Publication Date:  2006 Feb 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2006-04-17     Completed Date:  2006-05-18     Revised Date:  2009-11-18    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  101245157     Medline TA:  Proc Biol Sci     Country:  England    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  485-93     Citation Subset:  IM    
Affiliation:
School of Biological and Environmental Science, University of Stirling, Stirling FK9 4LA, UK. a.beckerman@sheffield.ac.uk
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Acari / growth & development,  physiology*
Animals
Clutch Size
Female
Linear Models
Male
Maternal Behavior
Population Dynamics
Random Allocation
Regression Analysis
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