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Maternal effects on offspring mortality in rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta)
1Department of Anthropology, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA. blomquistg@missouri.edu
American Journal of Primatology
|January 15, 2013
Summary
Maternal effects significantly influence infant rhesus macaque mortality, particularly in the first month of life. These effects diminish as offspring mature and environmental factors become more influential.
Area of Science:
- Evolutionary biology
- Behavioral ecology
- Quantitative genetics
Background:
- Primate life history genetics remain largely unexplored.
- Mammalian studies indicate early-life phenotypes are shaped by maternal care.
- Maternal effects are crucial in understanding offspring development and survival.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the genetic basis of maternal effects on infant and juvenile mortality in rhesus macaques.
- To quantify the duration and impact of maternal influences on offspring survival rates.
- To integrate diverse definitions of maternal effects within a unified quantitative genetic framework.
Main Methods:
- Utilized generalized linear mixed models and complex pedigree quantitative genetic techniques.
- Analyzed extensive records of infant and juvenile mortality in a semi-free-ranging rhesus macaque population.
- Examined regression coefficients and variance components to assess maternal influences.
Main Results:
- Strong maternal effects were detected early in rhesus macaque development, significantly impacting mortality rates.
- These maternal influences rapidly decreased as offspring aged.
- Factors such as maternal loss, maternal age, and offspring cohort age significantly affected offspring mortality.
- Maternal identity variance components indicated significant influence within the first month of life.
Conclusions:
- Maternal effects play a critical role in early primate development and survival, but their impact wanes over time.
- The quantitative genetic framework effectively integrates various concepts of maternal effects.
- Understanding maternal effects is key to deciphering primate life history evolution and population dynamics.
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