title: The association between parental life history and offspring phenotype in Atlantic salmon.
abstract: In many taxa there is considerable intraspecific variation in life history strategies from within a single population, reflecting alternative routes through which organisms can achieve successful reproduction. Atlantic salmon Salmo salar (Linnaeus) show some of the greatest within-population variability in life history strategies amongst vertebrates, with multiple discrete male and female life histories co-existing and interbreeding on many spawning grounds, although the effect of the various combinations of life histories on offspring traits remains unknown. Using crosses of wild fish we show here that the life history strategy of both parents was significantly associated with a range of offspring traits. Mothers that had spent longer at sea (2 versus 1 year) produced offspring that were heavier, longer and in better condition at the time of first feeding. However, these relationships disappeared shortly after fry had begun feeding exogenously. At this stage, the juvenile rearing environment (i.e. time spent in fresh water as juveniles) of the mother was a better predictor of offspring traits, with mothers that were faster to develop in fresh water (migrating to sea after two rather than three years of age) producing offspring that had higher maximal metabolic rates, aerobic scopes, and that grew faster. Faster developing fathers (1 year old sneaker males) tended to produce offspring that had higher maximal metabolic rates, were in better body condition and grew faster. The results suggest that both genetic effects and those related to parental early and late life history contribute to offspring traits.
authors.affiliation: Scottish Centre for Ecology and the Natural Environment, Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health & Comparative Medicine, Rowardennan, Loch Lomond, Glasgow G63 0AW, UK Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health & Comparative Medicine, Graham Kerr Building, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK t.van-leeuwen.1@research.gla.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Travis E
authors.initials: TE
authors.lastname: Van Leeuwen
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health & Comparative Medicine, Graham Kerr Building, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK.
authors.forename: Darryl
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: McLennan
authors.affiliation: Cromarty Firth Fishery Board, CKD Galbraith, Reay House, 17 Old Edinburgh Road, Inverness IV2 3HF, UK.
authors.forename: Simon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: McKelvey
authors.affiliation: Marine Scotland Science, Freshwater Fisheries Laboratory, Pitlochry, Perthshire PH16 5LB, UK.
authors.forename: David C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Stewart
authors.affiliation: Scottish Centre for Ecology and the Natural Environment, Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health & Comparative Medicine, Rowardennan, Loch Lomond, Glasgow G63 0AW, UK.
authors.forename: Colin E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Adams
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health & Comparative Medicine, Graham Kerr Building, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK.
authors.forename: Neil B
authors.initials: NB
authors.lastname: Metcalfe
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D010641:Phenotype; D012098:Reproduction; D020317:Salmo salar / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: Early development; Indirect genetic effects; Maternal effects; Parental effects; Paternal effects; Salmo salar; Salmonid metabolism