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295 results for “Fecundity”
Meerkat helpers buffer the detrimental effects of adverse environmental conditions on fecundity, growth and survival
<p>1. Recent comparative studies show that cooperative breeding is positively correlated with harsh and unpredictable environments and it is suggested that this association occurs because helpers buffer the negative effects of adverse ecological conditions on fitness.</p> <p>2. In the Kalahari, rainfall varies widely between- and within years, affecting primary production and the availability of the principal prey of cooperatively breeding Kalahari meerkats, Suricata suricatta. Our study aimed to establish whether the presence and number of helpers buffer the negative effects of variation in rainfall on the fecundity and body mass of breeding females, and the survival and growth of pups.</p> <p>3. We investigate the relationship between group size and variation in rainfall on dominant female fecundity, body mass, and offspring survival and growth using an additive modeling approach on twenty-one years of individual-based records of the life histories of individual meerkats.</p> <p>4. We show that breeding female fecundity is reduced during periods of low rainfall but that the effects of low rainfall are mitigated by increases in group size and body mass because heavier females and those in larger groups have increased fecundity and reduced interbirth intervals. Pup growth and survival are also reduced during periods of low rainfall, but more so in smaller groups.</p> <p>5. Our results support the suggestion that cooperative breeding mitigates the detrimental effects of adverse environmental conditions and may enhance the capacity of species to occupy environments where food availability is low and unpredictable.</p>
Data from: Loss of cytoplasmic incompatibility and minimal fecundity effects explain relatively low Wolbachia frequencies in Drosophila mauritiana
Maternally transmitted Wolbachia bacteria infect about half of all insect species. Many Wolbachia cause cytoplasmic incompatibility (CI), reduced egg hatch when uninfected females mate with infected males. Although CI produces a frequency-dependent fitness advantage that leads to high equilibrium Wolbachia frequencies, it does not aid Wolbachia spread from low frequencies. Indeed, the fitness advantages that produce initial Wolbachia spread and maintain non-CI Wolbachia remain elusive. wMau Wolbachia infecting Drosophila mauritiana do not cause CI, despite being very similar to CI-causing wNo from D. simulans (0.068% sequence divergence over 682,494 bp), suggesting recent CI loss. Using draft wMau genomes, we identify a deletion in a CI-associated gene, consistent with theory predicting that selection within host lineages does not act to increase or maintain CI. In the laboratory, wMau shows near-perfect maternal transmission; but we find no significant effect on host fecundity, in contrast to published data. Intermediate wMau frequencies on the island Mauritius are consistent with a balance between unidentified small, positive fitness effects and imperfect maternal transmission. Our phylogenomic analyses suggest that group-B Wolbachia, including wMau and wPip, diverged from group-A Wolbachia, such as wMel and wRi, 6–46 million years ago, more recently than previously estimated.
Data from: Adult nutritional stress decreases oviposition choosiness and fecundity in female butterflies
Despite the benefits of careful decision-making, not all animals are choosy. One explanation is that choosiness can cost time and energy and thus depend on nutrition. However, it is not clear how allocation to choosiness versus other components of life history shifts in the face of nutritional stress. We tested two hypotheses about the effects of nutritional stress on choosiness and other life history traits: 1) poor nutrition leads to compensatory shifts in life history strategy towards greater investment per offspring in terms of choosy oviposition behavior and egg resources, and 2) poor nutrition negatively affects a range of life history traits. Cabbage white butterfly (Pieris rapae) females were reared under low or high nutrition conditions during the larval and adult stage in a fully factorial design. Choosiness was quantified as avoidance of conspecific models during oviposition. Adult life history traits included egg number, egg size, and thorax protein. Females that experienced nutritional stress as adults were less choosy and less fecund, in support of the second hypothesis. Yet females that were stressed as larvae invested more in thorax muscle, consistent with the first hypothesis. Overall, adult nutritional stress decreased investment in multiple reproductive traits, including a behavioral trait, but larval stress increased investment in flight, potentially to disperse away from nutritionally poor environments.
Data from: Reproductive interference and fecundity affect competitive interactions of sibling species with low mating barriers: experimental and theoretical evidence
When allopatric species with incomplete prezygotic isolation come into secondary contact, the outcome of their interaction is not easily predicted. The parasitoid wasp Encarsia suzannae (iES), infected by Cardinium inducing cytoplasmic incompatibility (CI), and its sibling species E. gennaroi (EG), not infected by bacterial endosymbionts, may have diverged because of the complementary action of CI and asymmetric hybrid incompatibilities. Whereas postzygotic isolation is now complete due to sterility of F1 hybrid progeny, prezygotic isolation is still incipient. We set up laboratory population cage experiments to evaluate the outcome of the interaction between ES and EG in two pairwise combinations: iES vs. EG and cured ES (cES, where Cardinium was removed with antibiotics) vs. EG. We also built a theoretical model aimed at exploring the role of life history differences and asymmetric mating on competitive outcomes. In three of four cages in each treatment, ES dominated the interaction. We found evidence for reproductive interference, driven by asymmetric mating preferences, which gave a competitive edge to ES, the species that better discriminated against heterospecifics. However, we did not find the fecundity cost previously shown to be associated with Cardinium infection in iES. The model largely supported the experimental results. The finding of only a slight competitive edge of ES over EG in population cages suggests that in a more heterogeneous environment the species could coexist. This is supported by evidence that the two species coexist in sympatry, where preliminary data suggest reproductive character displacement may have reinforced postzygotic isolation.
Data from: Fecundity of diamondback moth females when offered honey with pyridalyl, a selective insecticide
<p class="MsoNormal"><span>We previously reported that the presence of pyridalyl, a selective insecticide, in aqueous honey (50 % v/v) negatively affects the survival of diamondback moth (<em>Plutella xylostella</em>: DBM) adults. However, it remains unclear whether toxicity of pyridalyl in aqueous honey affects the fecundity of adult female DBMs. We analyzed the survival and fecundity of adult DBM under the water, honey, or honey + pyridalyl conditions in glass tubes</span><span> containing Japanese mustard spinach (</span><em><span>Brassica rapa</span></em><span>: Komatsuna) leaves</span><span> for 10 days. The survival of adults under the honey (50 % v/v) and honey + pyridalyl (100-fold dilution) conditions was significantly higher and lower, respectively, than under the water condition during the experimental period. The number of eggs laid by DBM females each day (fecundity) under the water condition was significantly lower than that under the honey condition throughout the experimental period, except on day 1. In contrast, the numbers under the water, and honey + pyridalyl conditions were not significantly different, except on day 2 (the honey + pyridalyl condition was significantly lower). To study the effects of plants grown in pots on the survival and fecundity of DBM females, we conducted experiments using acrylic cages containing potted komatsuna plants. The survival trends under the honey, and honey + pyridalyl conditions in the cages were similar to those in the glass tubes. Fecundity was evaluated based on the total number of subsequent generations (DBM larvae and pupae) on day 10. The numbers were significantly higher in the honey condition than in the water condition. </span><span>In contrast, the number in the honey + pyridalyl condition was not significantly different from that in the water condition. Based on these findings, the possible use of pyridalyl in honey for the biological control of DBM is discussed.</span></p>
Figure 8 in Gonadal development and fecundity of bogue Boops boops (Linnaeus, 1758) (Sparidae) on the central Algerian coast
Figure 8. Sex frequency distribution, based on B. boops size.
Figure 2 in Gonadal development and fecundity of bogue Boops boops (Linnaeus, 1758) (Sparidae) on the central Algerian coast
Figure 2. Monthly change of the sexual maturity stages (%) in B. boops females.
Figure 1 in Gonadal development and fecundity of bogue Boops boops (Linnaeus, 1758) (Sparidae) on the central Algerian coast
Figure 1. Location of the study.
Data from: Exoskeleton ageing and its relation to longevity and fecundity in female Australian Leaf Insects (Phyllium monteithi)
<p>Senescence is a decline in reproduction and survival rate with advancing age resulting from deterioration of somatic tissues and systems throughout the body. Age-related somatic changes (somatic ageing) have been studied extensively in vertebrates but are less well known in other animals, including insects. Since adult insects have very limited ability to repair their exoskeleton, somatic ageing could involve deterioration and discolouration of the cuticle. We investigated age-related changes in wing pigmentation and abdominal cuticle necrosis in females of the Australian leaf insect <em>Phyllium monteithi</em>. Adult females varied markedly in the extent and pattern of pigmentation on their bodies, and we found that pigment spots on the forewings increased in size with age in most individuals. As females aged, most individuals also exhibited increasing levels of abdominal cuticle necrosis, resulting in the loss of abdominal cuticle along the margin of the abdomen. Neither the extent of pigmentation nor cuticle loss were clearly associated with reduced fecundity or longevity in the protected laboratory environment, but it remains unknown whether these age-related changes have functional implications in the wild. Our results show that the <em>P. monteithi</em> exoskeleton undergoes complex changes with age, with potential implications for functional traits and fitness.</p>
Influence of multiple predators decreases body condition and fecundity of European hares
<p>We assessed the hypothesised negative correlation between the influence of multiple predators and body condition and fecundity of the European hare, from 13 areas in the Netherlands.</p> <p>Year-round abundance of predators was estimated by hunters. We quantified predator influence as the sum of their field metabolic rates, as this sum reflects the daily food requirements of multiple individuals. We determined the ratio between body mass and hindfoot length of hares as an index of body condition, and the weight of their adrenal gland as a measure of chronic exposure to stress, and we counted the number of placental scars to estimate the fecundity of hares.</p> <p>As hypothesised, we found that the sum of field metabolic rate of predators was negatively correlated with body condition and the number of placental scars, whereas it was positively related to the weight of the adrenal glands. In contrast to the sum of the field metabolic rate, the total number of predators did not affect the investigated risk responses.</p> <p>The sum of the field metabolic rate can be a useful proxy for the influence of multiple predators and takes into account predator abundance, type, body weight, and food requirements of multiple predators.</p> <p>With our findings, our paper contributes to a better understanding of the risk effects of multiple predators on prey fitness. Additionally, we identify a potential contributor to the decline of European hare populations.</p>
Raw data from: Natural alleles at the Doa locus underpin evolutionary changes in Drosophila lifespan and fecundity
<p>Evolve and resequence' (E&R) studies in <em>Drosophila melanogaster</em> have identified many candidate loci underlying the evolution of ageing and life history, but experiments that validate the effects of such candidates remain rare. In a recent E&R study we have identified several alleles of the LAMMER kinase <em>Darkener of apricot</em> (<em>Doa</em>) as candidates for evolutionary changes in lifespan and fecundity. Here, we use two complementary approaches to confirm the functional role of <em>Doa</em> in life-history evolution. First, we used transgenic RNAi to study the effects of<em> Doa</em> at the whole-gene level. Ubiquitous silencing of expression in adult flies reduced both lifespan and fecundity, indicating pleiotropic effects. Second, to characterize segregating variation at <em>Doa</em>, we examined four candidate single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs;<em> Doa-1, -2, -3, -4</em>) using a genetic association approach. Three candidate SNPs had effects that were qualitatively consistent with expectations based on our E&R study: <em>Doa</em>-2 pleiotropically affected both lifespan and late-life fecundity; <em>Doa</em>-1 affected lifespan (but not fecundity), and <em>Doa</em>-4 affected late-life fecundity (but not lifespan). Finally, the last candidate allele (<em>Doa</em>-3) also affected lifespan, but in the opposite direction than predicted.</p>
Data from: Maternal diet influences fecundity in a freshwater turtle undergoing population decline
<p>Food availability determines the amount of energy animals can acquire and allocate to reproduction and other necessary functions. Female animals that are food-limited thus experience reduced energy available for reproduction. When this occurs, females may reduce frequency of reproductive events or the number or size of offspring per reproductive bout. We assessed how maternal diet affects reproductive output in adult female Murray River short-necked turtles, <em>Emydura macquarii,</em> from four wetlands in Victoria. We previously found that turtle diets differ in the composition of plants and animals between our study wetlands. In this study, we tested whether differences in turtle diet composition (i.e plants and animals) at these wetlands were associated with differences in clutch mass, individual egg mass, bulk egg composition, and hatching success. We found total clutch mass increased with maternal body size at each site. At sites where filamentous green algae were scarce and <em>E. macquarii</em> were carnivorous, females produced smaller clutches relative to body size compared to females from sites where algae were abundant, and turtles were more herbivorous. Individual egg mass, bulk egg composition, and hatching success did not differ across wetlands. Isotopic analysis revealed a significant positive relationships between the carbon and nitrogen isotopes (δ<sup>13</sup>C, δ<sup>15</sup>N) of the eggs and those of the mothers, indicating that mothers allocated ratios of carbon and nitrogen isotopes to their eggs similar to those present in their tissues. Our study suggests that at sites where females are more carnivorous due to a relative absence of algae, females produce smaller clutches but other aspects of their reproduction are not significantly impacted. The reduction in clutch size associated with differences in the availability of dietary plants and animals may have long-term consequences for <em>E. macquarii</em> and other freshwater turtle species that are experiencing population declines.</p>
Effects of marking, chilling and mechanical separation on the blood feeding success, fecundity and fertility of wMel-infected Aedes aegypti.
<p>In field trial II (Nausori 2019), mosquitoes were sampled from the emergence cages (rearing control), after cold-immobilization at 4°C for 30 minutes (immobilization control) and at the end of UAV flights (aerial). Collected mosquitoes were sorted into cages of 50 females and 15 males. Females were allowed to blood feed and the blood feeding success was determined. Blood fed females were kept and allowed to oviposit and fecundity is shown as eggs per female. Eggs were hatched and larvae were counted 48 hours post hatching to determine fertility. Statistical analysis was performed using ordinary one-way ANOVA. NS = Not statistically significant and ND = Not done.</p>
Fig 2 in Studies on gonad index and fecundity of mangrove clam, Polymesoda erosa (Solander, 1786) of Ratnagiri coast
Fig 2: Effect of temperature on gonad index of p. erosa
Data from: Experimental increase in fecundity causes upregulation of fecundity and body maintenance genes in the fat body of ant queens
<p>In most organisms, fecundity and longevity are negatively associated and the molecular regulation of these two life history traits is highly interconnected. In addition, nutrient intake often has opposing effects on lifespan and reproduction. In contrast to solitary insects, the main reproductive individual of social hymenopterans, the queen, is also the most long-lived. During development, queen larvae are well-nourished, but we are only beginning to understand the impact of nutrition on the queens' adult life and the molecular regulation and connectivity of fecundity and longevity. Here, we used two experimental manipulations to alter queen fecundity in the ant <em>Temnothorax rugatulus</em> and investigated associated changes in fat body gene expression. Egg removal triggered a fecundity increase, leading to expression changes in genes with functions in fecundity such as oogenesis and body maintenance. Dietary restriction lowered the egg production of queens and altered the expression of genes linked to autophagy, Toll signalling, cellular homeostasis, and immunity. Our study reveals that an experimental increase in fecundity causes the co-activation of reproduction and body maintenance mechanisms, shedding light on the molecular regulation of the link between longevity and fecundity in social insects.</p>
Fig. 1 in Reproductive modes and daily fecundity of Aenasius bambawalei (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae), a parasitoid of Phenacoccus solenopsis (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae)
Fig. 1. Daily survival rate and daily fecundity of Aenasius bambawalei females.
Lifespan and fecundity data for: The evolutionary potential of diet-dependent effects on lifespan and fecundity in a multi-parental population of Drosophila melanogaster
<p>This repository contains 3 original data files for a study of heritability in a half-sibling design of outbred multi-parent population of Drosophila melanogaster treated with 3 nutritional conditions.</p> <p> </p> <p>1) lifespan_only.xlsx contains lifespan records.</p> <p>Columns:</p> <p>setDate, start date</p> <p>flipDate, observation date</p> <p>days, age</p> <p>fID, identity of line</p> <p>repl, replicate number</p> <p>treat, diet treatment (HS=high sugar, STD=standard, LY=low yeast)</p> <p>NstartF, starting number of females</p> <p>NstartM, starting number of males</p> <p>box, ccord, rcoord are position coordinates of a vial in a holding box</p> <p>deadF, number of female dead</p> <p>deadM, number of males dead</p> <p>cens, censored events</p> <p>carriedF, dead females that flip to a new food vial</p> <p>carriedM, dead males that flip to a new food vial</p> <p>flipper initials of observer</p> <p>time, time in which 108 vials were flipped.</p> <p> </p> <p>2) feclife_with-image-ids.xlsx - lifespan observation vials are matched with a specific image of eggs collected at a specific day (once a week).</p> <p>Columns:</p> <p>cameraid, image id assigned by the camera</p> <p>handcounted, images counted by hand</p> <p>handcount, number of eggs on an image counted by hand</p> <p>training_set, images that were used to develop and test a prediction model</p> <p>drop_from_lifespan & visually_recheck, quality control.</p> <p> </p> <p>3) egg_images.tgz - all original images. Each image represent fecundity from a single vial at a specific date (in feclife_with-image-ids.xlsx ). The images have been cropped to remove the excess area outside the egg disc. The area outside the circular disc has been converted to black to peripheral eliminate noise.</p>
Fig 1 in Studies on gonad index and fecundity of mangrove clam, Polymesoda erosa (Solander, 1786) of Ratnagiri coast
Fig 1: Approximate number of mature oocytes
Table 1 in Studies on gonad index and fecundity of mangrove clam, Polymesoda erosa (Solander, 1786) of Ratnagiri coast
<p><b>Table 1:</b> Effect of temperature on gonad index of male and female of p. erosa</p><table><tbody><tr><th></th><th></th><th>Treatment</th><th></th><th></th></tr></tbody><tbody><tr><th>Parameters</th><td>T 0 (Control)</td><td>T 1</td><td>T 2</td><td>T 3</td></tr><tr><th>GI Male</th><td>1.11±0.63 a</td><td>2.18±0.59 b</td><td>3.14±0.14 c</td><td>3.31±0.26 c</td></tr><tr><th>GI Female</th><td>0.67±0.10 a</td><td>2.01±0.22 b</td><td>2.87±0.30 c</td><td>2.65±0.27 c</td></tr></tbody></table>
Figure 1 in Fecundity, embryo size and embryo loss in the estuarine shrimp Salmoneus carvachoi Anker, 2007 (Crustacea: Alpheidae) from a tidal mudflat in northeastern Brazil
Figure 1. Measurements of morphological characters of Salmoneus carvachoi obtained from the Paripe River estuary, Pernambuco, northeastern Brazil, in December 2016 and February 2017. CL: Carapace Length; PW: Pleura Width; PH: Pleura Height and SW: Sternite Width.
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