Statements in which the resource exists as a subject.
PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:issue
4
pubmed:dateCreated
2004-5-11
pubmed:abstractText
We consider optimal annual routines of reproductive behaviour in a seasonal environment. In our model the condition of the organism is adversely affected by hard work, but can recover during easy periods. Our analysis concentrates on the effects of background mortality (i.e., mortality that cannot be avoided) on the optimal strategy and how often an organism following this strategy breeds. In particular, we are concerned with whether reproduction occurs at specific times of year (entrained to the annual cycle), and if so then how many reproductive bouts occur per year. We find that an increase in background mortality can have various effects. If the animal is entrained to the annual cycle and has one breeding attempt per year, then breeding tends to occur earlier and there may be two breeding attempts per season. Another possible outcome is that breeding is no longer entrained. If the animal is entrained but sometimes skips reproduction so that it does not breed every year, then an increase in mortality may make it more likely that the animal breeds every year. We show that as background mortality increases the resultant increase in the frequency of breeding contributes to the increase in annual mortality. We also explore the effects of mortality on the timing of reproduction within a year, highlighting the tension between the interests of the parent and that of the young.
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:citationSubset
IM
pubmed:status
MEDLINE
pubmed:month
Jun
pubmed:issn
0040-5809
pubmed:author
pubmed:issnType
Print
pubmed:volume
65
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
361-72
pubmed:dateRevised
2006-11-15
pubmed:meshHeading
pubmed:year
2004
pubmed:articleTitle
The effects of background mortality on optimal reproduction in a seasonal environment.
pubmed:affiliation
Department of Mathematics, University of Bristol, University Walk, Bristol BS8 1TW, UK. john.mcnamara@bristol.ac.uk
pubmed:publicationType
Journal Article