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Giving offspring a head start in life: field and experimental evidence for selection on maternal basking behaviour in lizards
journal contribution
posted on 2023-05-17, 02:28 authored by Erik WapstraErik Wapstra, Uller, T, Geoffrey WhileGeoffrey While, Olsson, M, Shine, RThe timing of birth is often correlated with offspring ï¬tness in animals, but experimental studies that disentangle direct effects of parturition date and indirect effects mediated via variation in female traits are rare. In viviparous ectotherms, parturition date is largely driven by female thermal conditions, particularly maternal basking strategies. Our ï¬eld and laboratory studies of a viviparous lizard (Niveoscincus ocellatus) show that earlier-born offspring are more likely to survive through their ï¬rst winter and are larger following that winter, than are later-born conspeciï¬cs. Thus, the association between parturition date and offspring ï¬tness is causal, rather than reflecting an underlying correlation between parturition date and maternal attributes. Survival selection on offspring confers a signiï¬cant advantage for increased maternal basking in this species, mediated through ï¬tness advantages of earlier parturition. We discuss the roles of environmentally imposed con- straints and parent�offspring conflict in the evolution of maternal effects on parturition date.
History
Publication title
Journal of Evolutionary BiologyVolume
23Pagination
651-657ISSN
1010-061XDepartment/School
School of Natural SciencesPublisher
Blackwell Publishing LtdPlace of publication
9600 Garsington Rd, Oxford, England, Oxon, Ox4 2DgRights statement
The definitive published version is available online at: http://interscience.wiley.comRepository Status
- Restricted