1. Variation in growth form and precocity at birth in eutherian mammals
- Author
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Jean-Christophe Hervé, Jean-Michel Gaillard, Annie Heizmann, Dominique Allainé, Anne Loison, Dominique Pontier, Biodémographie évolutive, Département écologie évolutive [LBBE], Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Evolutive - UMR 5558 (LBBE), Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 (UCBL), Université de Lyon-Université de Lyon-Institut National de Recherche en Informatique et en Automatique (Inria)-VetAgro Sup - Institut national d'enseignement supérieur et de recherche en alimentation, santé animale, sciences agronomiques et de l'environnement (VAS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 (UCBL), Université de Lyon-Université de Lyon-Institut National de Recherche en Informatique et en Automatique (Inria)-VetAgro Sup - Institut national d'enseignement supérieur et de recherche en alimentation, santé animale, sciences agronomiques et de l'environnement (VAS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Evolutive - UMR 5558 (LBBE), Université de Lyon-Université de Lyon-Institut National de Recherche en Informatique et en Automatique (Inria)-VetAgro Sup - Institut national d'enseignement supérieur et de recherche en alimentation, santé animale, sciences agronomiques et de l'environnement (VAS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Ecoépidémiologie évolutionniste, Laboratoire d'Ecologie Alpine (LECA), Université Joseph Fourier - Grenoble 1 (UJF)-Université Savoie Mont Blanc (USMB [Université de Savoie] [Université de Chambéry])-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Dynamique des systèmes forestiers, Ecole Nationale du Génie Rural, des Eaux et des Forêts (ENGREF), and Université Joseph Fourier - Grenoble 1 (UJF)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Savoie Mont Blanc (USMB [Université de Savoie] [Université de Chambéry])
- Subjects
0106 biological sciences ,Gompertz function ,Postnatal-growth ,Zoology ,demographic tactics ,Growth ,[SDV.BID]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Biodiversity ,Biology ,010603 evolutionary biology ,01 natural sciences ,Models, Biological ,size ,General Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology ,reproduction ,ground-squirrel ,Species Specificity ,evolution ,Animals ,mammals ,Growth rate ,Eutherian mammals ,placental ,Phylogeny ,General Environmental Science ,age-determination ,[SDV.EE]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Ecology, environment ,Physical Maturity ,General Immunology and Microbiology ,General Medicine ,Evolution of mammals ,body ,010601 ecology ,Altricial ,Variation (linguistics) ,Animals, Newborn ,Regression Analysis ,Precocial ,myotis-lucifugus ,[SDE.BE]Environmental Sciences/Biodiversity and Ecology ,General Agricultural and Biological Sciences ,Research Article ,maternal investment - Abstract
International audience; Using the flexible Chapman-Richards model for describing the growth curves from birth to adulthood of 69 species of eutherian mammals, we demonstrate that growth form differs among eutherian mammals. Thereby the commonly used Gompertz model can no longer be considered as the general model for describing mammalian growth. Precocial mammals have their peak growth rate earlier in the growth process than altricial mammals. However, the position on the altricial-precocial continuum accounts for most growth-form differences only between mammalian lineages. Within mammalian genera differences in growth form are not related to precocity at birth. This indicates that growth form may have been associated with precocity at birth early in mammalian evolution, when broad patterns of body development radiated. We discuss four non-exclusive interpretations to account for the role of precocity at birth on the observed variation in growth form among mammals. Precocial and altricial mammals could differ according to (i) the distribution of energy output by the mother, (ii) the ability of the young to assimilate the milk yield, (ii) the allocation of energy by the young between competing functions and (iv) the position of birth between conception and attainment of physical maturity.
- Published
- 1997