The adaptive significance of reproductive strategies in ungulates.
We examine the relation between litter size, gestation length, neonate mass and growth rate among ungulates. By using a recent method for analysing comparative data, we show that ungulates can be divided along a slow-fast continuum, even after accounting for the effects of maternal body mass and common ancestry. Some species produce many small offspring during a short period, whereas others take a long time to raise a single large offspring. These differences in life-history strategy are associated with diet, i.e. browsers have relatively larger litters and smaller neonates than grazers.
Saether
B E
BE
Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, Trondheim.
Gordon
I J
IJ
D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001188:Artiodactyla / Q000502:physiology*; D001835:Body Weight; D005260:Female; D006128:Growth; D008098:Litter Size; D010802:Phylogeny; D011247:Pregnancy; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012098:Reproduction