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Maternal life history of white-tailed deer: factors affecting fetal sex allocation, conception timing, and senescence


Metadata FieldValueLanguage
dc.contributorStephen S. Ditchkoff, ditchss@auburn.eduen_US
dc.creatorKarns, G. R.
dc.creatorHolland, A. M.
dc.creatorSeury, T. D.
dc.creatorDitchkoff, S. S.
dc.date.accessioned2022-03-03T16:15:57Z
dc.date.available2022-03-03T16:15:57Z
dc.date.created2014
dc.identifier.urihttp://www.evolutionary-ecology.com/abstracts/v16/2876.htmlen_US
dc.identifier.urihttps://aurora.auburn.edu/handle/11200/50031
dc.identifier.urihttp://dx.doi.org/10.35099/aurora-100
dc.description.abstractQuestions: How does maternal condition and regional variation in resource abundance affect fetal sex ratio allocation, timing of litter conception, and decreased fecundity due to senescence? Data studied: We used female white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) maternal age and mass and reproductive tract data (number and sex of fetuses) collected from 1995 to 2011 throughout Alabama. Methods: Fetal sex ratio allocation: We aged collected fetuses to determine conception date and examined the effects of maternal age and mass, litter size, and conception timing (relative to site-specific average conception timing). Timing of litter conception: We examined effects of maternal characteristics. Fecundity: We examined effects of maternal age and mass. In all models, we assessed the effect of regional variation in resource abundance. Conclusions: Fetal sex ratio allocation: The only significant predictor was conception timing, and sons were more likely as conception date was closer to the peak of breeding. We did not find support for Trivers-Willard or the local resource competition hypothesis. Timing of litter conception: Maternal age, mass, and their interaction (maternal age × mass) explained conception timing, with smaller females conceiving further from the mean conception date among younger females and larger females conceiving further from the mean conception date among older females (likely related to reproductive output in the prior breeding season). Fecundity: Not previously demonstrated, we found support for age-related reproductive senescence in female white-tailed deer.en_US
dc.formatPDFen_US
dc.publisherEvolutionary Ecology, Ltden_US
dc.relation.ispartofEvolutionary Ecology Researchen_US
dc.relation.ispartofseries1522-0613en_US
dc.rights© 2014 Gabriel R. Karns. All EER articles are copyrighted by their authors. All authors endorse, permit and license Evolutionary Ecology Ltd. to grant its subscribing institutions/libraries the copying privileges specified below without additional consideration or payment to them or to Evolutionary Ecology, Ltd. These endorsements, in writing, are on file in the office of Evolutionary Ecology, Ltd. Consult authors for permission to use any portion of their work in derivative works, compilations or to distribute their work in any commercial manner. Item should be cited as: Karns, G. R., Holland, A. M., Steury, T. D., & Ditchkoff, S. S. (2014). Maternal life history of white-tailed deer: factors affecting fetal sex allocation, conception timing, and senescence. Evolutionary Ecology Research, 16(2), 165-178.en_US
dc.titleMaternal life history of white-tailed deer: factors affecting fetal sex allocation, conception timing, and senescenceen_US
dc.typeTexten_US
dc.type.genreJournal Article, Academic Journalen_US
dc.citation.volume16en_US
dc.citation.issue2en_US
dc.citation.spage165en_US
dc.citation.epage178en_US
dc.description.statusPublisheden_US
dc.description.peerreviewYesen_US
dc.creator.orcid0000-0001-6754-8319en_US
dc.creator.orcid0000-0002-7414-5777en_US

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