Lifetime fitness consequences of early-life ecological hardship in a wild mammal population.

ABSTRACT: Early-life ecological conditions have major effects on survival and reproduction. Numerous studies in wild systems show fitness benefits of good quality early-life ecological conditions ("silver-spoon" effects). Recently, however, some studies have reported that poor-quality early-life ecological conditions are associated with later-life fitness advantages and that the effect of early-life conditions can be sex-specific. Furthermore, few studies have investigated the effect of the variability of early-life ecological conditions on later-life fitness. Here, we test how the mean and variability of early-life ecological conditions affect the longevity and reproduction of males and females using 14 years of data on wild banded mongooses (Mungos mungo). Males that experienced highly vari

SUBMITTER: Marshall HH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5355200 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature