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Maternal condition influences phenotypic selection on offspring.

Monica Gagliano1, Mark I McCormick

  • 1Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, School of Marine Biology, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland 4811, Australia. monica.gagliano@jcu.edu.au

The Journal of Animal Ecology
|December 23, 2006
PubMed
Summary
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Maternal nutrition significantly impacts coral reef fish offspring survival. Enhanced energy reserves in eggs, not just size, improve hatchling success and post-hatching survival, demonstrating maternal effects on progeny viability.

Area of Science:

  • Marine Biology
  • Ecology
  • Evolutionary Biology

Background:

  • Environmentally induced maternal effects influence offspring phenotype and population dynamics across taxa.
  • Maternal condition, particularly food availability, is a key factor in energy allocation to offspring.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate how maternal condition affects early life-history traits and survival in coral reef fish (Pomacentrus amboinensis).
  • To determine the relationship between maternal energy allocation and offspring survivorship.

Main Methods:

  • Field experiment manipulating maternal food availability.
  • Examination of maternal condition effects on gametogenesis and offspring traits.
  • Analysis of hatchling success and post-hatching survival rates.

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Main Results:

  • Maternal condition did not affect hatchling numbers or survival to a set time.
  • Egg size was not significantly different, but supplemented mothers provided greater energy reserves (yolk-sac, oil globule).
  • Larger yolk-sacs improved survival for offspring from supplemented mothers, while smaller yolk-sacs were favored or inconsequential for offspring from non-supplemented mothers.

Conclusions:

  • The maternal environment influences offspring characteristics and survival relationships.
  • Energy reserves, rather than egg size, more accurately reflect maternal provisioning.
  • Maternal effects on offspring physiology and energy utilization are critical for progeny viability and may involve energy-driven selection.