Offspring size-number trade-off in a lizard with small clutch sizes: tests of invariants and potential implications
(2009) In Evolutionary Ecology 23(3). p.363-372- Abstract
- Models of small clutch sizes predict a number of invariant relationships between means and variances of measures of reproductive investment. However, empirical tests of the models have been lagging behind theoretical work. We tested the predictions using data on the mallee dragon, Ctenophorus fordi, a species where the basic assumptions of the models are likely to be fulfilled. Some, but not all, qualitative predictions of the models were shown to hold true, but the data fitted poorly to quantitative predictions. The patterns of deviation from theory may suggest the presence of a lower, and potentially an upper, limit on egg mass. We also argue that multiple and non-independent allocation decisions between total reproductive effort, growth... (More)
- Models of small clutch sizes predict a number of invariant relationships between means and variances of measures of reproductive investment. However, empirical tests of the models have been lagging behind theoretical work. We tested the predictions using data on the mallee dragon, Ctenophorus fordi, a species where the basic assumptions of the models are likely to be fulfilled. Some, but not all, qualitative predictions of the models were shown to hold true, but the data fitted poorly to quantitative predictions. The patterns of deviation from theory may suggest the presence of a lower, and potentially an upper, limit on egg mass. We also argue that multiple and non-independent allocation decisions between total reproductive effort, growth and maintenance, and offspring size-number allocation could be important factors in the evolution of size-number strategies in lizards and thus need to be taken into account in theoretical models. The present study shows the potential to use small clutch size models to gain further insights into reproductive investment and allocation decisions in squamates (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/4739157
- author
- Uller, Tobias LU and Olsson, Mats
- publishing date
- 2009
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- in
- Evolutionary Ecology
- volume
- 23
- issue
- 3
- pages
- 363 - 372
- publisher
- Springer
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:63849175208
- ISSN
- 1573-8477
- DOI
- 10.1007/s10682-007-9231-3
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- no
- id
- 5f3ece07-463a-4eb4-8c50-22b05a9d4f4f (old id 4739157)
- date added to LUP
- 2016-04-01 14:20:09
- date last changed
- 2022-01-28 00:02:08
@article{5f3ece07-463a-4eb4-8c50-22b05a9d4f4f,
abstract = {{Models of small clutch sizes predict a number of invariant relationships between means and variances of measures of reproductive investment. However, empirical tests of the models have been lagging behind theoretical work. We tested the predictions using data on the mallee dragon, Ctenophorus fordi, a species where the basic assumptions of the models are likely to be fulfilled. Some, but not all, qualitative predictions of the models were shown to hold true, but the data fitted poorly to quantitative predictions. The patterns of deviation from theory may suggest the presence of a lower, and potentially an upper, limit on egg mass. We also argue that multiple and non-independent allocation decisions between total reproductive effort, growth and maintenance, and offspring size-number allocation could be important factors in the evolution of size-number strategies in lizards and thus need to be taken into account in theoretical models. The present study shows the potential to use small clutch size models to gain further insights into reproductive investment and allocation decisions in squamates}},
author = {{Uller, Tobias and Olsson, Mats}},
issn = {{1573-8477}},
language = {{eng}},
number = {{3}},
pages = {{363--372}},
publisher = {{Springer}},
series = {{Evolutionary Ecology}},
title = {{Offspring size-number trade-off in a lizard with small clutch sizes: tests of invariants and potential implications}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10682-007-9231-3}},
doi = {{10.1007/s10682-007-9231-3}},
volume = {{23}},
year = {{2009}},
}