Vertaisarvioitu alkuperäisartikkeli tai data-artikkeli tieteellisessä aikakauslehdessä (A1)
Producing sons reduces lifetime reproductive success of subsequent offspring in pre-industrial Finns
Julkaisun tekijät: Rickard IJ, Russell AF, Lummaa V
Kustantaja: ROYAL SOC
Julkaisuvuosi: 2007
Journal: Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences
Tietokannassa oleva lehden nimi: PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
Lehden akronyymi: P ROY SOC B-BIOL SCI
Volyymi: 274
Julkaisunumero: 1628
Aloitussivu: 2981
Lopetussivun numero: 2988
Sivujen määrä: 8
ISSN: 0962-8452
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2007.1051
Tiivistelmä
Life-history theory states that reproductive events confer costs upon mothers. Many studies have shown that reproduction causes a decline in maternal condition, survival or success in subsequent reproductive events. However, little attention has been given to the prospect of reproductive costs being passed onto subsequent offspring, despite the fact that parental fitness is a function of the reproductive success of progeny. Here we use pedigree data from a pre-industrial human population to compare offspring lifehistory traits and lifetime reproductive success (LRS) according to the cost incurred by each individual's mother in the previous reproductive event. Because producing a son versus a daughter has been associated with greater maternal reproductive cost, we hypothesize that individuals born to mothers who previously produced sons will display compromised survival and/or LRS, when compared with those produced following daughters. Controlling for confounding factors such as socio-economic status and ecological conditions, we show that those offspring born after elder brothers have similar survival but lower LRS compared with those born after elder sisters. Our results demonstrate a maternal cost of reproduction manifested in reduced LRS of subsequent offspring. To our knowledge, this is the first time such a longterm intergenerational cost has been shown in a mammal species.
Life-history theory states that reproductive events confer costs upon mothers. Many studies have shown that reproduction causes a decline in maternal condition, survival or success in subsequent reproductive events. However, little attention has been given to the prospect of reproductive costs being passed onto subsequent offspring, despite the fact that parental fitness is a function of the reproductive success of progeny. Here we use pedigree data from a pre-industrial human population to compare offspring lifehistory traits and lifetime reproductive success (LRS) according to the cost incurred by each individual's mother in the previous reproductive event. Because producing a son versus a daughter has been associated with greater maternal reproductive cost, we hypothesize that individuals born to mothers who previously produced sons will display compromised survival and/or LRS, when compared with those produced following daughters. Controlling for confounding factors such as socio-economic status and ecological conditions, we show that those offspring born after elder brothers have similar survival but lower LRS compared with those born after elder sisters. Our results demonstrate a maternal cost of reproduction manifested in reduced LRS of subsequent offspring. To our knowledge, this is the first time such a longterm intergenerational cost has been shown in a mammal species.