A family history: effects of parental age on offspring life-history traits in bighorn sheep.

ABSTRACT: Long-term fitness effects of parental age could affect population dynamics, as age structure can vary considerably over time. Few studies of wild animals, however, have examined the possible long-term fitness consequences of parental age. Based upon 50 years of data on wild bighorn sheep, we investigated how parental age affected three offspring traits-mass at three years, longevity, and female lifetime reproductive success. We also tested for a survival filter which could mask or increase fitness effects of parental age. Our results showed a significant, quadratic negative association between maternal age, offspring longevity and female lifetime reproductive success. Offspring born to mothers aged 5 to 6 yr lived about 2 yr longer and weaned about 1.5 lambs more than siblings born to moth

SUBMITTER: Marchand E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12166657 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jul-Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature