Affiliation:
1. Department of Biological Sciences, University of Memphis , Ellington Hall, Memphis, Tennessee 38512 , USA
Abstract
Abstract
Deviations from a 50:50 sex ratio by producing either more sons or daughters can provide fitness benefits for the parents. This is especially true for species where one sex has skewed reproductive success, in most cases males. The factors responsible for these shifts are not fully understood, but some relationships have been uncovered such as parental age. We looked for a potential relationship between the parental age of meadow voles and offspring sex ratios using a captive population. A trending linear relationship was found with paternal age and a significant quadratic relationship was found with maternal age. For males, older fathers tended to sire more sons compared to younger fathers which may be the result of selective forces of competition because of skewed reproductive success. For females, middle-aged mothers sired more sons compared to younger or older mothers. Middle age for a female could represent an optimal point for producing sons that are able to survive and compete with other males for reproductively available females.
Funder
Department of Biological Sciences
Jack H. Morris Distinguished Professorship
Publisher
Oxford University Press (OUP)
Subject
Nature and Landscape Conservation,Genetics,Animal Science and Zoology,Ecology,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics