A case for environmental statistics of early-life effects.

ABSTRACT: There is enduring debate over the question of which early-life effects are adaptive and which ones are not. Mathematical modelling shows that early-life effects can be adaptive in environments that have particular statistical properties, such as reliable cues to current conditions and high autocorrelation of environmental states. However, few empirical studies have measured these properties, leading to an impasse. Progress, therefore, depends on research that quantifies cue reliability and autocorrelation of environmental parameters in real environments. These statistics may be different for social and non-social aspects of the environment. In this paper, we summarize evolutionary models of early-life effects. Then, we discuss empirical data on environmental statistics from a range of disc

SUBMITTER: Frankenhuis WE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6460088 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature