Maternal investment mediates offspring life history variation with context-dependent fitness consequences

Ecology ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 96 (9) ◽  
pp. 2499-2509 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael P. Moore ◽  
Tobias Landberg ◽  
Howard H. Whiteman
Keyword(s):  
Life History ◽  
Maternal Investment ◽  
Life History Variation ◽  
Fitness Consequences ◽  
Context Dependent

Egg size and taxon: their influence on survival and development of chrysopid hatchlings after food and water deprivation

1991 ◽  
Vol 69 (10) ◽  
pp. 2644-2650 ◽  
Author(s):  
Catherine A. Tauber ◽  
Maurice J. Tauber ◽  
Michael J. Tauber
Keyword(s):  
Life History ◽  
Water Deprivation ◽  
Egg Size ◽  
Maternal Investment ◽  
Developmental Rate ◽  
Life History Variation ◽  
Larval Size ◽  
First Instar ◽  
Survival And Development ◽  
Phylogenetic Lineages

Genus- and species-level differences characterize the pattern of life-history variation in two distinct phylogenetic lineages of chrysopids, Chrysopa and Chrysoperla. Species in the genus Chrysopa exhibit significant variation in egg size, and this variation is positively correlated with the ability of hatchlings to withstand periods of food and water deprivation prior to their initial feeding. The variation is also significantly correlated with larval size, as measured by the tibial length of first-instar larvae. Although the six Chrysopa species differ in several other life-history traits (i.e, the incubation period and rate of first-instar larval development), the variation is unrelated to egg size. It appears that maternal allocation of resources to eggs largely serves to enhance embryonic growth and the survival of hatchlings during searching. That is, within the Chrysopa lineage egg size varies; larger eggs yield larger, more robust hatchlings. These hatchlings may or may not develop faster than congeners from small eggs. In comparison with Chrysopa, the genus Chrysoperla has less variability in egg size and developmental rate. Furthermore, although Chrysoperla eggs are relatively small, the ability of hatchlings to endure periods of food or water deprivation is at least as great as it is in the Chrysopa species with large eggs. We conclude that maternal investment in larval fitness has different ontogenetic pathways, ecological roles, and phylogenetic histories in the two genera.

scholarly journals An ontogenetic perspective on individual differences

2015 ◽  
Vol 282 (1814) ◽  
pp. 20151050 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nathan R. Senner ◽  
Jesse R. Conklin ◽  
Theunis Piersma
Keyword(s):  
Life History ◽  
Individual Differences ◽  
Functional Trait ◽  
Life History Variation ◽  
Phenotypic Differences ◽  
Developmental Context ◽  
Critical Gap ◽  
Trade Offs ◽  
Fitness Consequences ◽  
Timing Of Onset

Phenotypic differences among individuals can arise during any stage of life. Although several distinct processes underlying individual differences have been defined and studied (e.g. parental effects, senescence), we lack an explicit, unified perspective for understanding how these processes contribute separately and synergistically to observed variation in functional traits. We propose a conceptual framework based on a developmental view of life-history variation, linking each ontogenetic stage with the types of individual differences originating during that period. In our view, the salient differences among these types are encapsulated by three key criteria: timing of onset, when fitness consequences are realized, and potential for reversibility. To fill a critical gap in this framework, we formulate a new term to refer to individual differences generated during adulthood—reversible state effects. We define these as ‘reversible changes in a functional trait resulting from life-history trade-offs during adulthood that affect fitness’, highlighting how the adult phenotype can be repeatedly altered in response to environmental variation. Defining individual differences in terms of trade-offs allows explicit predictions regarding when and where fitness consequences should be expected. Moreover, viewing individual differences in a developmental context highlights how different processes can work in concert to shape phenotype and fitness, and lays a foundation for research linking individual differences to ecological and evolutionary theory.

Life history and fitness consequences of ectoparasites

2004 ◽  
Vol 73 (2) ◽  
pp. 216-226 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patrick S. Fitze ◽  
Barbara Tschirren ◽  
Heinz Richner
Keyword(s):  
Life History ◽  
Fitness Consequences
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