Effects of body size, population density, and maternal characteristics on age at first reproduction in bighorn ewes

1993 ◽  
Vol 71 (12) ◽  
pp. 2509-2517 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jon T. Jorgenson ◽  
Marco Festa-Bianchet ◽  
Mauro Lucherini ◽  
William D. Wishart
Keyword(s):  
Population Density ◽  
Body Mass ◽  
Age Distribution ◽  
Ovis Canadensis ◽  
The Body ◽  
The Other ◽  
Significant Interaction Effect ◽  
Age At First Reproduction ◽  
Maternal Characteristics ◽  
First Reproduction

The factors affecting variation in age at first reproduction of bighorn ewes (Ovis canadensis) were investigated in two marked populations in Alberta. One population was studied for 20 years, the other for 11 years. As yearlings, females that lactated at 2 years of age were on average heavier and larger, and had longer horns than females that did not lactate at 2 years. However, there was wide overlap in body mass between early and late producers, and increases in body mass over the threshold for reproduction had little effect on the probability of early lambing. The body mass of females at 4 months of age explained less than half of the variance in female body mass at 1 year or at 15 months. In one population, the proportion of 2-year-old ewes lactating was not correlated with density and declined after a pneumonia epizootic. In the other population, the proportion of 2-year-old ewes lactating was higher during an experimental reduction of density, and dropped to near zero as density increased. There was a significant interaction effect of body mass and population density upon the probability that a ewe would lactate at 2 years of age. Independently of body mass, yearlings were less likely to lactate at 2 years of age at high population density than at low density. The number and age distribution of rams did not affect the proportion of 2-year-old ewes lactating. The mothers of lactating 2-year-olds were not older or heavier than the mothers of ewes that did not lactate at 2 years. Although some of the variation in age at first reproduction was due to differences in mass and population density, much of it remained unexplained and could be due to genetic factors.

Sexual size dimorphism in bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis): effects of population density

2001 ◽  
Vol 79 (9) ◽  
pp. 1661-1670 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mylène LeBlanc ◽  
Marco Festa-Bianchet ◽  
Jon T Jorgenson
Keyword(s):  
Population Density ◽  
Body Mass ◽  
Phenotypic Expression ◽  
Mass Gain ◽  
Bighorn Sheep ◽  
Ovis Canadensis ◽  
The Body ◽  
Young Males ◽  
Negative Effect ◽  
Female Body Mass

Sexual dimorphism is an important characteristic of many mammals, but little is known about how environmental variables may affect its phenotypic expression. The relationships between population size, body mass, seasonal mass changes, and sexual mass dimorphism were investigated using 22 years of data on individually marked bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis) on Ram Mountain, Alberta. The number of adult ewes was artificially maintained low from 1972 to 1981 and then allowed to increase. The body mass of males from 0 to 7 years of age was negatively affected by population density. Female body mass was negatively affected by population density up to 2 years of age. As the number of ewes increased, sexual mass dimorphism of sheep aged 2–7 years declined. Population density had a negative effect on seasonal mass changes of young males and females. Density also had a weak but significant positive effect on yearly mass gain of 2-year-old females, suggesting compensatory growth. Females appear to compensate for resource shortages early in life, while males show a lifelong negative effect. We suggest that these sexual differences are due to the greater flexibility of resource allocation to growth or reproduction by females than by males.

Locomotory Diseases Influence on Body Equilibrium and Balance

2014 ◽  
Vol 555 ◽  
pp. 652-658 ◽  
Author(s):  
Barbu Cristian Braun ◽  
Ileana Constanta Rosca
Keyword(s):  
Body Mass ◽  
Human Subjects ◽  
Force Plate ◽  
The Body ◽  
The Other ◽  
New Method ◽  
First Person ◽  
Mass Center ◽  
Stability Problems ◽  
Research Stage

The paper describes a new method of body equilibrium evaluation applied for different human subjects, the principal aim being to demonstrate to what extent any locomotory diseases could influence the body stability and equilibrium. The research refers to identify some persons with different locomotory diseases and to find both the influence on equilibrium and stability and if possible to improve them. Our research stage, synthesized in this paper, explains the body equilibrium evaluation in orthostatic posture done for different subjects, aged between 20 and 40 years. A number of 10 relevant persons were considered to be evaluated, 2 of them having some locomotory diseases. The first person presents any neuro-motor stability problems in case of long standing case. The other person has both Achilles tendons torn and operated. All subjects were tested in orthostatic posture, in 3 distinct positions, using a Kistler force plate. The experiments referred to the body mass center (COM) displacement in sagittal and lateral planes, representing an interesting characteristic for its equilibrium. It was shown that the person with diseases affecting stability presented a loss of equilibrium when standing for 10-20 seconds, i.e. higher COM displacements in both planes reported to the other tested subjects.

scholarly journals Palaeohistology reveals a slow pace of life for the dwarfed Sicilian elephant

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Meike Köhler ◽  
Victoria Herridge ◽  
Carmen Nacarino-Meneses ◽  
Josep Fortuny ◽  
Blanca Moncunill-Solé ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Life History ◽  
Body Mass ◽  
Growth Period ◽  
Extended Period ◽  
Island Rule ◽  
Rule Based ◽  
Age At First Reproduction ◽  
Slow Pace ◽  
First Reproduction ◽  
Adaptive Shifts

AbstractThe 1-m-tall dwarf elephant Palaeoloxodon falconeri from the Pleistocene of Sicily (Italy) is an extreme example of insular dwarfism and epitomizes the Island Rule. Based on scaling of life-history (LH) traits with body mass, P. falconeri is widely considered to be ‘r-selected’ by truncation of the growth period, associated with an early onset of reproduction and an abbreviated lifespan. These conjectures are, however, at odds with predictions from LH models for adaptive shifts in body size on islands. To settle the LH strategy of P. falconeri, we used bone, molar, and tusk histology to infer growth rates, age at first reproduction, and longevity. Our results from all approaches are congruent and provide evidence that the insular dwarf elephant grew at very slow rates over an extended period; attained maturity at the age of 15 years; and had a minimum lifespan of 68 years. This surpasses not only the values predicted from body mass but even those of both its giant sister taxon (P. antiquus) and its large mainland cousin (L. africana). The suite of LH traits of P. falconeri is consistent with the LH data hitherto inferred for other dwarfed insular mammals. P. falconeri, thus, not only epitomizes the Island Rule but it can also be viewed as a paradigm of evolutionary change towards a slow LH that accompanies the process of dwarfing in insular mammals.

scholarly journals Using Astragalus to Model Body Mass, Habitat Preference, and Population Density of Prehistoric Bovid Duboisia santeng (Dubois, 1891) in Eastern Java island in The Early Pleistocene

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andri Wibowo
Keyword(s):  
Population Density ◽  
Body Mass ◽  
Habitat Preference ◽  
Regression Models ◽  
The Body ◽  
Early Pleistocene ◽  
Large Herbivores ◽  
Length Width ◽  
Fossil Records ◽  
The Relationship

Astragalus bone is one of the most important fossil records as it can reconstruct the prehistoric life. Respectively, this study aims to model the body mass, habitat preference, and population density of prehistoric bovid Duboisia santeng (Dubois 1891) in eastern Java island in the early Pleistocene. The astragali from 9 specimens were used to estimate the body mass and population density. Likewise regression models are used to analyze the relationship between astragalus lateral length, width, and body mass compared to the astragalus of extant Bovid species. The result revealed the body mass average was 60.3 kg (95%CI: 58.9-61.7) and this indicates the D. santeng belongs to large herbivores. While the population density was estimated at about 5.39 individuals per km2 (95% CI: 3.18-7.6).

scholarly journals Influence of mass on tarsus shape variation: a morphometrical investigation among Rhinocerotidae (Mammalia: Perissodactyla)

2020 ◽  
Vol 129 (4) ◽  
pp. 950-974 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cyril Etienne ◽  
Christophe Mallet ◽  
Raphaël Cornette ◽  
Alexandra Houssaye
Keyword(s):  
Body Weight ◽  
Body Mass ◽  
Evolutionary History ◽  
The Body ◽  
The Other ◽  
Upright Posture ◽  
Centroid Size ◽  
Shape Variation ◽  
Morphological Adaptations ◽  
Both Bones

Abstract Many tetrapod lineages show extreme increases in body mass in their evolutionary history, associated with important osteological changes. The ankle joint, essential for foot movement, is assumed to be particularly affected in this regard. We investigated the morphological adaptations of the astragalus and the calcaneus in Rhinocerotidae, and analysed them in light of a comparative analysis with other Perissodactyla. We performed 3D geometric morphometrics and correlated shape with centroid size of the bone and body mass of the species. Our results show that mass has an influence on bone shape in Rhinocerotidae and in Perissodactyla, but this is not as strong as expected. In heavy animals the astragalus has a flatter trochlea, orientated more proximally, associated with a more upright posture of the limb. The calcaneus is more robust, possibly to sustain the greater tension force exerted by the muscles during plantarflexion. Both bones show wider articular facets, providing greater cohesion and better dissipation of the loading forces. The body plan of the animals also has an influence. Short-legged Teleoceratina have a flatter astragalus than the other rhinocerotids. Paraceratherium has a thinner calcaneus than expected. This study clarifies adaptations to high body weight among Rhinocerotidae and calls for similar investigations in other groups with massive forms.

Costs and benefits of post-weaning associations in mountain goats

Behaviour ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 155 (4) ◽  
pp. 295-326 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karina Charest Castro ◽  
Mathieu Leblond ◽  
Steeve D. Côté
Keyword(s):  
Life History ◽  
Body Mass ◽  
Life History Traits ◽  
The Body ◽  
Costs And Benefits ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Maternal Characteristics ◽  
Oreamnos Americanus ◽  
Lactating Mothers ◽  
Mountain Goats

Abstract To better understand the potential costs and benefits of prolonged parental care in gregarious species, we studied post-weaning associations in a marked population of mountain goats (Oreamnos americanus) monitored for 22 years. We calculated the occurrence and frequency of associations involving 1- and 2-year-old juveniles. We investigated (1) the influence of maternal characteristics and population size on the formation of post-weaning associations, (2) the short-term costs of associations on maternal reproductive success, and (3) the short-term benefits of associations on life-history traits of juveniles. We found that barren mothers associated more frequently with 1-year-olds than summer yeld and lactating mothers. Associations with 2-year-olds tended to increase the probability that a mother would be barren the following year. Post-weaning associations did not influence the body mass of newborn kids nor the body mass and survival of juveniles. We discuss how benefits for associated juveniles may appear later in life.

scholarly journals Body image in women participants of strength training: association with sociodemographic factors and practice time

2018 ◽  
Vol 23 ◽  
pp. 1-6
Author(s):  
Manoela Vieira Sousa ◽  
Cilene Rebolho Martins ◽  
Morgana Lunardi ◽  
Grazieli Maria Biduski ◽  
Elisa Pinheiro Ferrari ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Body Image ◽  
Strength Training ◽  
Body Mass ◽  
Descriptive Analysis ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The Body ◽  
The Other ◽  
Adult Women ◽  
Significance Level ◽  
Practice Time

In Brazil, the evidence indicates a high prevalence of dissatisfaction with body image (BI) among adult women. Studies show that gym goers have characteristics that differ from other populations. Specifically, women who practice strength training (ST) exhibit intense concern about well-being, which presents as strong self-criticism of the body. This group of women are typically in search for an ideal body pattern stipulated by society. e purpose of the present study was to identify in the women the perception with BI, classify then as satisfied or dissatisfied, and association this information whit age group, anthropometric indicators (body mass index and perimeter of waist), and variables related to the practice of ST (purpose and time of the practice). The sample group consisted of 77 women aged 20 to 54 years (29.83 ± 9.75) who practiced ST. For the assessment of BI, the Body Shape Questionnaire (BSQ) was used in addition to a questionnaire around the other variables. A descriptive analysis was used, chi-squared test and Fisher’s Exact test were adopted at a significance level of 5%. The results demonstrated that among all participants, 87.0% were satisfaction with BI. It was found association direct with the dissatisfaction of BI with the purpose of the practice of ST (p = 0.031) and with the practice time (p = 0.030). Were found, in which the women less satisfied with their BI were those who trained for body mass control and practiced ST for more than 6 months. The other variables did not show significant associations with BI. It is concluded that the women who practice ST have shown a positive perception regarding their body image, associated to the objective and the time of the practice.

scholarly journals Physical activity, lifestyle and nutrition as important indicators in the body mass index of children aged 3-6 years in the municipality of Mitrovica

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (9) ◽  
pp. 148-161
Author(s):  
Lorik Ramaj ◽  
Sadete Hasani
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Body Mass Index ◽  
Body Mass ◽  
Fast Food ◽  
Quantitative Research ◽  
Descriptive Analysis ◽  
Normal Weight ◽  
The Body ◽  
The Other ◽  
Normal Limits

The purpose of this paper was to determine the level of physical activity and healthy nutrition in children aged 3-6 years from Mitrovica. The research was attended by 94 children aged 3 - 6 years from two kindergartens in Mitrovica. As a parameter that measured the weight and height of the children,  it was calculated with the standardized procedure of Body Mass Index (BMI)  then was calculated according to the standard formula used by (Betterhealth, 2016). Also, after extracting other information through the questionnaire, a quantitative research was conducted through the parents of 94 children who were part of the measurements. A questionnaire was used to collect the data, which was previously translated and adapted into Albanian with permission to use it. The questionnaire was combined by three different questionnaires such as: the lifestyle questionnaire (Wilson et al., 2008), the physical activity questionnaire Pre-PAQ test (Dwyer et al., 2011) and the nutrition questionnaire (Rysha et al., 2017). The data collected during the research were placed in the statistical program SPSS version 21.0, and the presentation of this data was done through a descriptive analysis. The results that came from  this research showed that the effect of physical activity, lifestyle and nutrition have quite a high impact on body mass index in children. From the results we saw that the children of the two kindergartens from the municipality of Mitrovica did quite well in terms of physical activity, where in the questionnaires that were answered 89.4% of children were active more than an hour a day by walking and doing other activities. Also, the results regarding the questions in which they were asked about the time that children use the phone were at a satisfactory level, where a large percentage of parents, 77.7%, declared that their children did not use the phone  more than an hour a day. While in terms of nutrition, there have been many results which need more detailed analysis and to take preventive measures such as consumption of energy drinks, carbonated beverages, fast food, etc. From the measurement of children aged 3-4 years only one child turned out to be overweight with BMI = 18.7, while the rest came out with BMI with normal limits. As for children aged 4-5 years, one child turned out to be underweight with BMI = 12.4 and one obese with BMI = 21.9 and the others with BMI with normal limits. And out of children aged 5-6 years one child came out overweight with BMI = 17.7 and two others obese, one with BMI = 19.7 and the other BMI = 19.8 and the other children had normal weight (Betterhealth, 2016).

scholarly journals How do invasion syndromes evolve? An experimental evolution approach using the ladybird Harmonia axyridis

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julien Foucaud ◽  
Ruth A. Hufbauer ◽  
Virginie Ravigné ◽  
Laure Olazcuaga ◽  
Anne Loiseau ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Body Mass ◽  
Artificial Selection ◽  
Female Body ◽  
Harmonia Axyridis ◽  
Direct Selection ◽  
Age At First Reproduction ◽  
Introduced Populations ◽  
First Reproduction ◽  
Selection Experiments ◽  
Female Body Mass

ABSTRACTExperiments comparing native to introduced populations or distinct introduced populations to each other show that phenotypic evolution is common and often involves a suit of interacting phenotypic traits. We define such sets of traits that evolve in concert and contribute to the success of invasive populations as an ‘invasion syndrome’. The invasive Harlequin ladybird Harmonia axyridis displays such an invasion syndrome with, for instance, females from invasive populations being larger and heavier than individuals from native populations, allocating more resources to reproduction, and spreading reproduction over a longer lifespan. Invasion syndromes could emerge due to selection acting jointly and directly on a multitude of traits, or due to selection on one or a few key traits that drive correlated indirect responses in other traits. Here, we investigated the degree to which the H. axyridis invasion syndrome would emerge in response to artificial selection on either female body mass or on age at first reproduction, two traits involved in their invasion syndrome. To further explore the interaction between environmental context and evolutionary change in molding the phenotypic response, we phenotyped the individuals from the selection experiments in two environments, one with abundant food resources and one with limited resources. The two artificial selection experiments show that the number of traits showing a correlated response depends upon the trait undergoing direct selection. Artificial selection on female body mass resulted in few correlated responses and hence poorly reproduced the invasion syndrome. In contrast, artificial selection on age at first reproduction resulted in more widespread phenotypic changes, which nevertheless corresponded only partly to the invasion syndrome. The artificial selection experiments also revealed a large impact of diet on the traits, with effects dependent on the trait considered and the selection regime. Overall, our results indicate that direct selection on multiple traits was likely necessary in the evolution of the H. axyridis invasion syndrome. Furthermore, they show the strength of using artificial selection to identify the traits that are correlated in different selective contexts, which represents a crucial first step in understanding the evolution of complex phenotypic patterns, including invasion syndromes.

scholarly journals Population Density and Temperature Influence the Return on Maternal Investment in Wild House Mice

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nina Gerber ◽  
Yannick Auclair ◽  
Barbara König ◽  
Anna K. Lindholm
Keyword(s):  
Population Density ◽  
Body Mass ◽  
Early Life ◽  
Maternal Investment ◽  
The Body ◽  
Lifetime Reproductive Success ◽  
House Mice ◽  
Mus Musculus Domesticus ◽  
Sexual Competition ◽  
Survival And Reproduction

In mammals, reproduction is influenced by sexual competition, temperature and food availability and these factors might be crucial already during early life. Favorable early life environment and high maternal investment are expected to improve survival and reproduction. For example, in mammals, maternal investment via lactation predicts offspring growth. As body mass is often associated with fitness consequences, females have the potential to influence offspring fitness through their level of investment, which might interact with effects of population density and temperature. Here, we investigate the relationship between house mouse (Mus musculus domesticus) pup body mass at day 13 (used as approximation for weaning mass) and individual reproductive parameters, as well as longevity, under natural variation in population density and temperature (as approximation for season). Further, we assessed the extent to which mothers influence the body mass of their offspring until weaning. To do so, we analyzed life data of 384 house mice from a free-living wild commensal population that was not food limited. The mother’s contribution accounted for 49% of the variance in pup body mass. Further, we found a complex effect of population density, temperature and maternal investment on life-history traits related to fitness: shorter longevity with increasing pup body mass at day 13, delayed first reproduction of heavier pups when raised at warmer temperatures, and increased lifetime reproductive success for heavier pups at high densities. Our study shows that the effects of maternal investment are not independent of the effects of the environment. It thus highlights the importance of considering ecological conditions in combination with maternal effects to unravel the complexity of pup body mass on fitness measures.

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