Ecology and age, but not genetic ancestry, predict fetal loss in a wild baboon hybrid zone.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

Pregnancy failure represents a major fitness cost for any mammal, particularly those with slow life histories such as primates. Here, we quantified the risk of fetal loss in wild hybrid baboons, including genetic, ecological, and demographic sources of variance. We were particularly interested in testing the hypothesis that hybridization increases fetal loss rates. Such an effect would help explain how baboons may maintain genetic and phenotypic integrity despite interspecific gene flow.

Materials and methods

We analyzed outcomes for 1020 pregnancies observed over 46 years in a natural yellow baboon-anubis baboon hybrid zone. Fetal losses and live births were scored based on records of female reproductive state and the appearance of live neonates. We modeled the p

SUBMITTER: Fogel AS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12266802 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature