Maternal effects on offspring growth and development depend on environmental quality in the frogBombina orientalis |
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Authors: | David M Parichy Robert H Kaplan |
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Institution: | (1) Department of Biology, Reed College, 97202 Portland, OR, USA;(2) Section of Zoology and Center for Population Biology, University of California at Davis, 95616 Davis, CA, USA |
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Abstract: | Summary Differences in maternal investment and initial offspring size can have important consequences for offspring growth and development.
To examine the effects of initial size variability in the frogBombina orientalis, we reared larvae (N=360) in one of two treatments representing different levels of environmental quality. We used snout-vent length at the feeding
stage (stage 25, Gosner 1960) as a measure of maternal investment. In a “low quality” treatment, larvae were reared with two
conspecific tadpoles and food was limited, whereas in a “high quality” treatment, larvae were reared individually and were
fed ad libitum. Among tadpoles reared in the low quality treatment, individuals that were initially small had smaller body
sizes through metamorphosis and longer larval periods than individuals that were initially large. Among tadpoles reared in
the high quality treatment, initial size had only a weak influence on later larval size, and did not significantly affect
metamorphic size of the duration of the larval period. This interaction between maternal investment and rearing conditions
suggests that production of initially small offspring could be advantageous if these offspring develop in relatively benign
environments, but disadvantageous if environments are more severe. These findings are discussed in light of previous studies
that have demonstrated such interactions in organisms with complex life cycles. |
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Keywords: | Bombina orientalis Development Metamorphosis Maternal investment Variation |
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