Food availability as a major driver in the evolution of life-history strategies of sibling species.

ABSTRACT: Life-history theory predicts trade-offs between reproductive and survival traits such that different strategies or environmental constraints may yield comparable lifetime reproductive success among conspecifics. Food availability is one of the most important environmental factors shaping developmental processes. It notably affects key life-history components such as reproduction and survival prospect. We investigated whether food resource availability could also operate as an ultimate driver of life-history strategy variation between species. During 13 years, we marked and recaptured young and adult sibling mouse-eared bats (Myotis myotis and Myotis blythii) at sympatric colonial sites. We tested whether distinct, species-specific trophic niches and food availability patterns

SUBMITTER: Arlettaz R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5478057 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature