After short interbirth intervals, captive callitrichine monkeys have higher infant mortality
Brett M Frye1, Dakota E McCoy2,3, Jennifer Kotler2,4
1Department of Biology, Emory & Henry College, Emory, VA 24327, USA.
Iscience
|January 24, 2022
Summary
Short birth spacing in callitrichine primates, like marmosets, increases infant mortality risk. Longer interbirth intervals improve infant survivorship, suggesting physiological limits on reproduction in these species.
Area of Science:
- Primate reproductive ecology
- Mammalian life history theory
- Conservation biology
Background:
- Life history theory posits an offspring quantity-quality trade-off.
- Short interbirth intervals may increase offspring quantity but decrease quality.
- Long interbirth intervals may enhance offspring quality at the cost of quantity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of interbirth intervals on infant survivorship in callitrichine primates.
- To determine if primate reproductive strategies are constrained by physiological limitations.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a large demographic dataset (n=15,852) of captive callitrichine monkeys.
- Employed Cox proportional hazards models to analyze infant mortality risk.
- Categorized interbirth intervals as short, normal, or long.
Main Results:
- Infants born after short interbirth intervals exhibited significantly higher mortality risks in seven of nine species.
- Longer interbirth intervals were associated with improved infant survivorship.
- Results indicate a negative relationship between short birth spacing and infant survival.
Conclusions:
- Short interbirth intervals pose a significant mortality risk to infants in callitrichine primates.
- Physiological constraints likely limit reproductive efficiency in these species.
- Findings highlight the importance of appropriate birth spacing for primate conservation efforts.
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