Interbirth intervals in wild baboons: Environmental predictors and hormonal correlates.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

Interbirth intervals (IBIs) are a key metric of female reproductive success; understanding how they are regulated by environmental, social, and demographic factors can provide insight into sources of variance in female fitness.

Materials and methods

Using 36 years of reproductive data on 490 IBIs for 160 wild female baboons, we identified sources of variance in the duration of IBIs and of their component phases: postpartum amenorrhea (PPA), sexual cycling, and pregnancy. We also examined how body fat and fecal hormone concentrations varied during female IBIs.

Results

We found that IBIs tended to be shorter (reproduction was accelerated) when female traits and environmental variables promoted energy acquisition, but with different specific effects for differ

SUBMITTER: Gesquiere LR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5910269 | biostudies-literature | 2018 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature