Evaluation of offspring size-number invariants in twelve species of lizard
(2009) In Journal of evolutionary biology 22(1). p.143-151- Abstract
- The optimal division of resources into offspring size vs. number is one of the classic problems in life-history evolution. Importantly, models that take into account the discrete nature of resource division at low clutch sizes suggest that the variance in offspring size should decline with increasing clutch size according to an invariant relationship. We tested this prediction in 12 species of lizard with small clutch sizes. Contrary to expectations, not all species showed a negative relationship between variance in offspring size and clutch size, and the pattern significantly deviated from quantitative predictions in five of the 12 species. We suggest that the main limitation of current size-number models for small clutch sizes is that... (More)
- The optimal division of resources into offspring size vs. number is one of the classic problems in life-history evolution. Importantly, models that take into account the discrete nature of resource division at low clutch sizes suggest that the variance in offspring size should decline with increasing clutch size according to an invariant relationship. We tested this prediction in 12 species of lizard with small clutch sizes. Contrary to expectations, not all species showed a negative relationship between variance in offspring size and clutch size, and the pattern significantly deviated from quantitative predictions in five of the 12 species. We suggest that the main limitation of current size-number models for small clutch sizes is that they rely on assumptions of hierarchical allocation strategies with independence between allocation decisions. Indeed, selection may favour alternative mechanisms of reproductive allocation that avoid suboptimal allocation imposed by the indivisible fraction at low clutch sizes. (Less)
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https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/4739171
- author
- publishing date
- 2009
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- in
- Journal of evolutionary biology
- volume
- 22
- issue
- 1
- pages
- 143 - 151
- publisher
- John Wiley & Sons Inc.
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:58149092183
- ISSN
- 1420-9101
- DOI
- 10.1111/j.1420-9101.2008.01629.x
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- no
- id
- 073c2eaa-34b6-455f-b5de-e0acc2b275bd (old id 4739171)
- date added to LUP
- 2016-04-01 11:57:52
- date last changed
- 2022-01-26 20:49:30
@article{073c2eaa-34b6-455f-b5de-e0acc2b275bd, abstract = {{The optimal division of resources into offspring size vs. number is one of the classic problems in life-history evolution. Importantly, models that take into account the discrete nature of resource division at low clutch sizes suggest that the variance in offspring size should decline with increasing clutch size according to an invariant relationship. We tested this prediction in 12 species of lizard with small clutch sizes. Contrary to expectations, not all species showed a negative relationship between variance in offspring size and clutch size, and the pattern significantly deviated from quantitative predictions in five of the 12 species. We suggest that the main limitation of current size-number models for small clutch sizes is that they rely on assumptions of hierarchical allocation strategies with independence between allocation decisions. Indeed, selection may favour alternative mechanisms of reproductive allocation that avoid suboptimal allocation imposed by the indivisible fraction at low clutch sizes.}}, author = {{Uller, Tobias and While, Geoffrey and Wapstra, Erik and Warner, Daniel and Goodman, Brett and Schwartzkopf, Lin and Langkilde, Tracy and Doughty, Paul and Radder, Raju and Rohr, D and Bull, Michael and Shine, Richard and Olsson, Mats}}, issn = {{1420-9101}}, language = {{eng}}, number = {{1}}, pages = {{143--151}}, publisher = {{John Wiley & Sons Inc.}}, series = {{Journal of evolutionary biology}}, title = {{Evaluation of offspring size-number invariants in twelve species of lizard}}, url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1420-9101.2008.01629.x}}, doi = {{10.1111/j.1420-9101.2008.01629.x}}, volume = {{22}}, year = {{2009}}, }