A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal

Effects of parental age at conception on offspring life history trajectories in a long-lived bird




AuthorsMoullec, Héloïse; Berger, Vérane; Meier, Christoph; Reichert, Sophie; Bize, Pierre

PublisherOxford University Press (OUP)

Publication year2025

Journal:Evolution

Article numberqpaf181

ISSN0014-3820

eISSN1558-5646

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1093/evolut/qpaf181

Web address https://doi.org/10.1093/evolut/qpaf181

Self-archived copy’s web addresshttps://research.utu.fi/converis/portal/detail/Publication/500508882


Abstract

Parental age at conception can have both short- and long-term consequences on the health, survival, and reproduction of their offspring. To date, most of our knowledge comes from laboratory studies, and considers the effects of maternal age and a “snapshot” of the life history trajectory of the offspring. Here, we use a multigenerational demographic dataset in a free-living, long-lived (median lifespan is 7 years old) bird, the Alpine swift (Tachymarptis melba), to investigate the effects of maternal and paternal age on offspring traits, from nestling to adulthood, and considering all major life history traits, from growth and age at first reproduction to reproductive success and lifespan. Parental age affected offspring phenotype before fledging and lifespan, but differently so for sons and daughters. Offspring from old-age mothers (≥ 11 years old) and fathers (≥ 9 years old) were bigger and less infested by ectoparasites before fledging, except sons from old-age fathers that show no reduction in ectoparasite load. We also report evidence of negative effects of paternal age on the lifespan of their offspring (i.e., Lansing effect), with sons (but not daughters) from old-age fathers having shorter lifespans. Our findings highlight the importance of the transgenerational effects of parental age at conception on the reproductive performance, survival and phenotype of their offspring.


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Funding information in the publication
HM was supported by the Ella and Georg Ehrnrooth Foundation (Ella ja Georg Ehrnroothin Säätiö), the Turku University Foundation (Turun Yliopistosäätiö), and the University of Turku Graduate School UTUGS (Turun yliopiston tutkijakoulu). SR was supported by the Academy of Finland [324257] and the MCSA [101110339]. The long-term monitoring of this Alpine swift population was supported over the years via funding from the Swiss National Science Foundation to PB and the Swiss Ornithological Institute.


Last updated on 2025-10-10 at 07:26