Risk‐sensitive reproductive allocation: fitness consequences of body mass losses in two contrasting environments |
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Authors: | Bård‐Jørgen Bårdsen Marius Warg Næss Torkild Tveraa Knut Langeland Per Fauchald |
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Institution: | 1.Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA), Arctic Ecology Department, Fram Centre, Tromsø, NO-9296, Norway;2.CICERO – Center for International Climate and Environmental Research, Fram Centre, Tromsø, NO-9296, Norway |
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Abstract: | For long‐lived organisms, the fitness value of survival is greater than that of current reproduction. Asymmetric fitness rewards suggest that organisms inhabiting unpredictable environments should adopt a risk‐sensitive life history, predicting that it is adaptive to allocate resources to increase their own body reserves at the expense of reproduction. We tested this using data from reindeer populations inhabiting contrasting environments and using winter body mass development as a proxy for the combined effect of winter severity and density dependence. Individuals in good and harsh environments responded similarly: Females who lost large amounts of winter body mass gained more body mass the coming summer compared with females losing less mass during winter. Additionally, females experienced a cost of reproduction: On average, barren females gained more body mass than lactating females. Winter body mass development positively affected both the females' reproductive success and offspring body mass. Finally, we discuss the relevance of our findings with respect to scenarios for future climate change. |
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Keywords: | Evolution individual optimization individual quality phenotypic plasticity
Rangifer tarandus
state dependence |
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