Sources of variation in maternal allocation in a long-lived mammal.

ABSTRACT: Life history theory predicts allocation of energy to reproduction varies with maternal age, but additional maternal features may be important to the allocation of energy to reproduction. We aimed to characterize age-specific variation in maternal allocation and assess the relationship between maternal allocation and other static and dynamic maternal features. Mass measurements of 531 mothers and pups were used with Bayesian hierarchical models to explain the relationship between diverse maternal attributes and both the proportion of mass allocated by Weddell seal mothers, and the efficiency of mass transfer from mother to pup during lactation as well as the weaning mass of pups. Our results demonstrated that maternal mass was strongly and positively associated with the relative reserves al

SUBMITTER: Macdonald KR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7497196 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature