Conservative maternal care in an iteroparous mammal: a resource allocation experiment

摘要: When resources are limited, life history theory predicts a trade-off between growth, reproduction and survival. In summer, lactating females of temperate large herbivores such as the white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) normally have access to abundant forage but also face high energetic needs lactation recovery from winter mass loss. At population density, however, may allocating for maintenance reproduction. To simulate effects increased intra-specific competition at we measured 2 years how an experimental food restriction approximately 20% affected current body changes adult their fawns during fawning periods. Fawn survival decreased 35%, fawn growth 26% in food-restricted treatment. There was no effect on female mass. Irrespective treatment, gained 30 g/day less than non-lactating females, that had weaned previous year 20 not. We conclude when were scarce, adopted conservative strategy favouring own survival, future reproductive potential over reproduction, probably maximise lifetime success.