scholarly journals Where do all the maternal effects go? Variation in offspring body size through ontogeny in the live-bearing fish Poecilia parae

2006 ◽  
Vol 2 (4) ◽  
pp. 586-589 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna K Lindholm ◽  
John Hunt ◽  
Robert Brooks
Keyword(s):  
Body Size ◽  
Maternal Effects ◽  
Variance Components ◽  
Sexual Maturity ◽  
Compensatory Growth ◽  
Life History Traits ◽  
Genetic Variance ◽  
Adult Longevity ◽  
Male Size ◽  
Sharp Rise

Abstract Maternal effects are an important source of adaptive variation, but little is known about how they vary throughout ontogeny. We estimate the contribution of maternal effects, sire genetic and environmental variation to offspring body size from birth until 1 year of age in the live-bearing fish Poecilia parae . In both the sexes, maternal effects on body size were initially high in juveniles, and then declined to zero at sexual maturity. In sons, this was accompanied by a sharp rise in sire genetic variance, consistent with the expression of Y-linked loci affecting male size. In daughters, all variance components decreased with time, consistent with compensatory growth. There were significant negative among-dam correlations between early body size and the timing of sexual maturity in both sons and daughters. However, there was no relationship between early life maternal effects and adult longevity, suggesting that maternal effects, although important early in life, may not always influence late life-history traits.

scholarly journals Artificial selection on male size depletes genetic variance but not covariance of life history traits in the yellow dung fly

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
WU Blanckenhorn ◽  
V Llaurens ◽  
C Reim ◽  
Y Teuschl ◽  
E Postma
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Variation ◽  
Life History ◽  
Body Size ◽  
Artificial Selection ◽  
Development Time ◽  
Life History Traits ◽  
Genetic Variance ◽  
Genetic Correlations ◽  
Male Size ◽  
First Clutch

SUMMARYThe evolutionary potential of organisms depends on the presence of sufficient genetic variation for traits subject to selection, as well as on the genetic covariances among them. While genetic variation ultimately derives from mutation, theory predicts the depletion of genetic (co)variation under consistent directional or stabilizing selection in natural populations. We estimated and compared additive genetic (co)variances for several standard life history traits, including some for which this has never been assessed, before and after 24 generations of artificial selection on male size in the yellow dung fly Scathophaga stercoraria (Diptera: Scathophagidae) using a series of standard half-sib breeding experiments. As predicted, genetic variances (VA), heritabilities (h2) and evolvabilities (IA) of body size, development time, first clutch size, and female age at first clutch were lower after selection. As independent selection lines were crossed prior to testing, we can rule out that this reduction is due to genetic drift. In contrast to the variances, and against expectation, the additive genetic correlations between the sexes for development time and body size remained strong and positive (rA = 0.8–0.9), while the genetic correlation between these traits within the sexes tended to strengthen (but not significantly so). Our study documents that the effect of selection on genetic variance is predictable, whereas that on genetic correlations is not.

scholarly journals Quantitative genetics and the evolution of ontogeny: I. Ontogenetic changes in quantitative genetic variance components in randombred mice

1983 ◽  
Vol 42 (1) ◽  
pp. 65-75 ◽  
Author(s):  
James M. Cheverud ◽  
Larry J. Leamy ◽  
William R. Atchley ◽  
J. J. Rutledge
Keyword(s):  
Maternal Effects ◽  
Environmental Effects ◽  
Variance Components ◽  
Genetic Variance ◽  
Tail Length ◽  
Head Length ◽  
Ontogenetic Changes ◽  
Trunk Length ◽  
Quantitative Genetic ◽  
Significant Difference

SUMMARYWe report the results of an ontogenetic analysis of quantitative genetic variance components with two replicates drawn from the randombred ICR strain of mice. A total of 432 mice from 108 full-sib families raised in a cross-fostering design were used to estimate direct effects heritability, maternal effects, and environmental effects for weight, head length, trunk length, trunk circumference, and tail length at 17, 24, 31, 38, 45, 52, 59, and 66 days of age. There was no significant difference in heritability between the replicates. Heritabilities either stayed more or less constant with age at about 0·30 (weight, trunk length, trunk circumference) or increased slightly with age (head length, tail length). Maternal effects decreased with age from a maximum of about 0·50 at weaning to about 0·15 at age 66 when growth was nearly complete. Environmental effects increased in relative importance during ontogeny.

scholarly journals Do females preferentially associate with males given a better start in life?

2012 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 362-364 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew T. Kahn ◽  
Julianne D. Livingston ◽  
Michael D. Jennions
Keyword(s):  
Life History ◽  
Body Size ◽  
Food Intake ◽  
Compensatory Growth ◽  
Life History Traits ◽  
Adult Life ◽  
Gambusia Holbrooki ◽  
Developmental History ◽  
Restricted Diet ◽  
Adult Body

A poor start in life owing to a restricted diet can have readily detectable detrimental consequences for many adult life-history traits. However, some costs such as smaller adult body size are potentially eliminated when individuals modify their development. For example, male mosquitofish ( Gambusia holbrooki ) that have reduced early food intake undergo compensatory growth and delay maturation so that they eventually mature at the same size as males that develop normally. But do subtle effects of a poor start persist? Specifically, does a male's developmental history affect his subsequent attractiveness to females? Females prefer to associate with larger males but, controlling for body length, we show that females spent less time in association with males that underwent compensatory growth than with males that developed normally.

Genome size is not related to life-history traits in primates

Genome ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 48 (2) ◽  
pp. 273-278 ◽  
Author(s):  
Serge Morand ◽  
Robert E Ricklefs
Keyword(s):  
Life History ◽  
Body Size ◽  
Genome Size ◽  
Dna Content ◽  
Sexual Maturity ◽  
Life History Traits ◽  
Age At Maturity ◽  
Brain Mass ◽  
Gestation Time ◽  
C Value

Genome size (C value, the haploid DNA content of the nucleus) varies widely among eukaryotes, increasing through duplication or insertion of transposable elements and decreasing through deletions. Here, we investigate relationships between genome size and life-history attributes potentially related to fitness, including body mass, brain mass, gestation time, age at sexual maturity, and longevity, in 42 species of primates. Using multivariate and phylogenetically informed analyses, we show that genome size is unrelated to any of these traits. Genome size exhibits little variation within primates and its evolution does not appear to be correlated with changes in life-history traits. This further indicates that the phenotypic consequences of variation in genome size are dependent on the particular biology of the group in question.Key words: age at maturity, body size, brain mass, C value, genome size, gestation time, life history, primate.

scholarly journals Age structure and body size of the endangered species Darevskia bendimahiensis (Schmidtler, Eiselt & Darevsky, 1994) from eastern Turkey (Squamata, Sauria, Lacertidae)

Herpetozoa ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 32 ◽  
pp. 159-163
Author(s):  
Elif Yıldırım ◽  
Yusuf Kumlutaş ◽  
Kamil Candan ◽  
Çetin Ilgaz
Keyword(s):  
Life History ◽  
Body Size ◽  
Endangered Species ◽  
Age Structure ◽  
Sexual Maturity ◽  
Life History Traits ◽  
Eastern Turkey ◽  
The Future ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Spearman’S Correlation

The life-history traits of the parthenogenetic lizard Darevskiabendimahiensis were studied by skeletochronology in a population inhabiting highlands in Çaldıran, Van, Turkey. Endosteal resorption was observed in 18 specimens (55%). The mean age was 4.91 ± 0.19 SD years. The mean snout-vent length (SVL) was 51.11 ± 1.15 SD mm. The age at sexual maturity was estimated as 3 years. Longevity was 7 years. Snout-vent length and age were positively correlated (Spearman’s correlation; r = 0.797, P = 0.000). The aim of this study is to contribute to the future conservation activities for this endangered species.

scholarly journals GENETIC MODELS FOR THE ANALYSIS OF DATA FROM THE FAMILIES OF IDENTICAL TWINS

Genetics ◽  
1976 ◽  
Vol 83 (4) ◽  
pp. 811-826
Author(s):  
Walter E Nance ◽  
Linda A Corey
Keyword(s):  
Least Squares ◽  
Maternal Effects ◽  
Variance Components ◽  
Quantitative Traits ◽  
Genetic Variance ◽  
Weighted Least Squares ◽  
Identical Twins ◽  
Genetic Models ◽  
Family Unit ◽  
Least Squares Estimates

ABSTRACT Genetic models are described which exploit the unique relationships that exist within the families of identical twins to obtain weighted least squares estimates of additive, dominance and epistatic components of genetic variance as well as estimates of the contributions of X-linked genes, maternal effects and three sources of environmental variation. Since all of the relationships required to achieve a resolution of these variance components are contained within each family unit, the model would appear to be superior to previous approaches to the analysis of quantitative traits in man.

scholarly journals Age-Specific Patterns of Genetic Variance in Drosophila melanogaster. II. Fecundity and Its Genetic Covariance With Age-Specific Mortality

Genetics ◽  
1996 ◽  
Vol 143 (2) ◽  
pp. 849-858 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marc Tatar ◽  
Daniel E L Promislow ◽  
Aziz A Khazaeli ◽  
James W Curtsinger
Keyword(s):  
Drosophila Melanogaster ◽  
Variance Components ◽  
Life History Traits ◽  
Genetic Variance ◽  
Additive Genetic Variance ◽  
Genetic Correlations ◽  
Mutation Accumulation ◽  
Age Classes ◽  
Genetic Covariance ◽  
Specific Mortality

Abstract Under the mutation accumulation model of senescence, it was predicted that the additive genetic variance (VA) for fitness traits will increase with age. We measured age-specific mortality and fecundity from 65,134 Drosophila melanogaster and estimated genetic variance components, based on reciprocal crosses of extracted second chromosome lines. Elsewhere we report the results for mortality. Here, for fecundity, we report a bimodal pattern for VA with peaks at 3 days and at 17–31 days. Under the antagonistic pleiotropy model of senescence, it was predicted that negative correlations will exist between early and late life history traits. For fecundity itself we find positive genetic correlations among age classes >3 days but negative nonsignificant correlations between fecundity at 3 days and at older age classes. For fecundity vs. age-specific mortality, we find positive fitness correlations (negative genetic correlations) among the traits at all ages >3 days but a negative fitness correlation between fecundity at 3 days and mortality at the oldest ages (positive genetic correlations). For age-specific mortality itself we find overwhelmingly positive genetic correlations among all age classes. The data suggest that mutation accumulation may be a major source of standing genetic variance for senescence.

Quantitative inheritance studies in sugar-cane. III.* The effect of competition and violation of genetic assumptions on estimation of genetic variance components

1977 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 257 ◽  
Author(s):  
DM Hogarth
Keyword(s):  
Maternal Effects ◽  
Quantitative Genetics ◽  
Sugar Cane ◽  
Variance Components ◽  
Genetic Variance ◽  
Additive Genetic Variance ◽  
Quantitative Inheritance ◽  
Genetic Determination ◽  
Statistical Precision ◽  
Dominance Genetic Variance

Several assumptions underlying the theory of quantitative genetics may not be valid for sugar-cane. The assumption of no epistasis was studied by comparing independent estimates of genetic variance components based on different genetic assumptions.Sugar content was measured with excellent statistical precision, and independent estimates of genetic variance components for this character agreed very well, which indicated that violation of genetic assumptions had little effect on estimation. For other characters, agreement was not as good, and there was evidence to show that epistatic variance was important for weight per stalk. For all characters, maternal effects were negligible. Additive genetic variance was more important than dominance genetic variance for all characters except yield of cane, for which the two variances were equally important. Inter-plot competition was unimportant, but several characters, notably yield of cane, exhibited substantial within-plot competition. This type of competition did not affect estimation of genetic variances, but has important implications for selection. Estimates of heritability and degree of genetic determination were determined for each character studied. _____________________ *Part II, Aust. J. Agric. Res., 22: 103-9 (1971).

scholarly journals Demographic Traits Variation in a Pyrenean Newt (Calotriton asper) among Lacustrine and Stream Populations

Diversity ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (12) ◽  
pp. 471
Author(s):  
Sebastià Camarasa ◽  
Neus Oromi ◽  
Delfí Sanuy ◽  
Fèlix Amat
Keyword(s):  
Life History ◽  
Body Size ◽  
Age Structure ◽  
Sexual Maturity ◽  
Life History Traits ◽  
Size Structure ◽  
Maximum Size ◽  
Sexually Dimorphic ◽  
Age At Maturity ◽  
Demographic Traits

Demographic traits were analyzed in the Pyrenean brook newt (Calotriton asper) to evaluate whether its variability responds to the adaptation to the different habitats. In this study, life history traits of Calotriton asper were studied in nine populations living in two different kinds of habitats in the Pyrenees mountains: lakes and streams. Skeletochronology was used to determine age structure and different traits such as age at maturity and longevity. Age structure was different between populations and sexes. The two lacustrine populations, with facultative pedomorphosis, attained their maturity earlier. Age at sexual maturity ranged from 4 to 9 years and in some populations was similar between sexes while in others, females matured at younger ages than males. Maximum longevity varied from 7 to 35 years among populations and was correlated with the age at sexual maturity. Body size differed among populations, was sexually dimorphic, and this disparity was not related to the kind of habitat. The maximum size was found in the lacustrine population but exhibited high variation between populations. The results obtained show a significant variability between sexes and populations, in age and body size structure of Calotriton asper that did not depend on the habitat.

Maternal body size and age govern reproduction and offspring phenotype in the ladybird, Menochilus sexmaculatus

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shashwat Singh ◽  
Geetanjali Mishra ◽  
Omkar Omkar
Keyword(s):  
Body Size ◽  
Maternal Effects ◽  
Maternal Age ◽  
Reproductive Output ◽  
Life History Traits ◽  
Middle Age ◽  
Adaptive Strategy ◽  
Egg Mass ◽  
Developmental Duration ◽  
Feeding Regimes

Maternal effects are possible channels through which mothers provision their offspring differentially, thereby affecting offspring phenotype. We investigated maternal effects in the ladybird, Menochilus sexmaculatus (Fabricius, 1781), in response to body size (induced by different feeding regimes during larval development) and their age within the reproductive cycle. Different sized females were permitted to mate and were provided with daily replenished ad libitum prey. Post mating, reproductive output and developmental duration of offspring from different oviposition days were recorded. We hypothesised that small females would lay smaller and fewer eggs than larger females, and that egg mass would also reduce with increased maternal age. In our study, the larger mothers laid more eggs per day. Small and large mothers oviposited maximally at middle age. Maternal age did not influence the egg mass, although it was slightly higher in the case of older, larger females. Offspring from old aged small and large mothers developed rapidly. This nimble development could be an adaptive strategy for the use of ephemeral aphid patches. The results of the study are indicative of this ladybird species’ ability to adjust their offspring’s life history traits, a feature more prominent in larger females.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document