Breeding success in cooperative meerkats: effects of helper number and maternal state

摘要: Studies of cooperatively breeding birds and mammals generally concentrate on the effects that helpers have number reproductive attempts females per year or size offspring survive from hatching/weaning to independence. However, may also influence success before hatching weaning. In present study, we used an ultrasound imager determine litter sizes close birth, multivariate statistics investigate whether female fecundity, survival weaning, at weaning in cooperative meerkats, Suricata suricatta. We found a group was correlated with litters delivered each year, probably because large groups gave birth earlier had shorter interbirth intervals. addition, although pup between primarily influenced by maternal dominance status, helper significant positive effect. By contrast, no evidence suggest direct effect either weights which were both significantly weight conception. differences associated number, potential fecundity within indirectly. These results future studies need consider indirect investment assessing societies vertebrates. Copyright 2003.