A long postreproductive life span is a shared trait among genetically distinct killer whale populations
Abstract: The extended female postreproductive life span found in humans and some toothed whales remains an evolutionary puzzle. Theory predicts demographic patterns resulting in increased female relatedness with age (kinship dynamics) can select for a prolonged postreproductive life span due to the...
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Ecology and Evolution
2021
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ftunivcam:oai:www.repository.cam.ac.uk:1810/323960 2023-10-29T02:37:39+01:00 A long postreproductive life span is a shared trait among genetically distinct killer whale populations Nielsen, Mia Lybkær Kronborg Ellis, Samuel Towers, Jared R. Doniol‐Valcroze, Thomas Franks, Daniel W. Cant, Michael A. Weiss, Michael N. Johnstone, Rufus A. Balcomb, Kenneth C., III Ellifrit, David K. Croft, Darren P. 2021-06-17T11:01:34Z text/xml application/pdf https://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/handle/1810/323960 https://doi.org/10.17863/CAM.71422 en eng Ecology and Evolution https://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/handle/1810/323960 doi:10.17863/CAM.71422 ORIGINAL RESEARCH kinship dynamics postreproductive life span menopause Orcinus orca Article 2021 ftunivcam https://doi.org/10.17863/CAM.71422 2023-10-05T22:20:10Z Abstract: The extended female postreproductive life span found in humans and some toothed whales remains an evolutionary puzzle. Theory predicts demographic patterns resulting in increased female relatedness with age (kinship dynamics) can select for a prolonged postreproductive life span due to the combined costs of intergenerational reproductive conflict and benefits of late‐life helping. Here, we test this prediction using >40 years of longitudinal demographic data from the sympatric yet genetically distinct killer whale ecotypes: resident and Bigg's killer whales. The female relatedness with age is predicted to increase in both ecotypes, but with a less steep increase in Bigg's due to their different social structure. Here, we show that there is a significant postreproductive life span in both ecotypes with >30% of adult female years being lived as postreproductive, supporting the general prediction that an increase in local relatedness with age predisposes the evolution of a postreproductive life span. Differences in the magnitude of kinship dynamics however did not influence the timing or duration of the postreproductive life span with females in both ecotypes terminating reproduction before their mid‐40s followed by an expected postreproductive period of about 20 years. Our results highlight the important role of kinship dynamics in the evolution of a long postreproductive life span in long‐lived mammals, while further implying that the timing of menopause may be a robust trait that is persistent despite substantial variation in demographic patterns among populations. Article in Journal/Newspaper Killer Whale Orca Orcinus orca toothed whales Killer whale Apollo - University of Cambridge Repository |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Apollo - University of Cambridge Repository |
op_collection_id |
ftunivcam |
language |
English |
topic |
ORIGINAL RESEARCH kinship dynamics postreproductive life span menopause Orcinus orca |
spellingShingle |
ORIGINAL RESEARCH kinship dynamics postreproductive life span menopause Orcinus orca Nielsen, Mia Lybkær Kronborg Ellis, Samuel Towers, Jared R. Doniol‐Valcroze, Thomas Franks, Daniel W. Cant, Michael A. Weiss, Michael N. Johnstone, Rufus A. Balcomb, Kenneth C., III Ellifrit, David K. Croft, Darren P. A long postreproductive life span is a shared trait among genetically distinct killer whale populations |
topic_facet |
ORIGINAL RESEARCH kinship dynamics postreproductive life span menopause Orcinus orca |
description |
Abstract: The extended female postreproductive life span found in humans and some toothed whales remains an evolutionary puzzle. Theory predicts demographic patterns resulting in increased female relatedness with age (kinship dynamics) can select for a prolonged postreproductive life span due to the combined costs of intergenerational reproductive conflict and benefits of late‐life helping. Here, we test this prediction using >40 years of longitudinal demographic data from the sympatric yet genetically distinct killer whale ecotypes: resident and Bigg's killer whales. The female relatedness with age is predicted to increase in both ecotypes, but with a less steep increase in Bigg's due to their different social structure. Here, we show that there is a significant postreproductive life span in both ecotypes with >30% of adult female years being lived as postreproductive, supporting the general prediction that an increase in local relatedness with age predisposes the evolution of a postreproductive life span. Differences in the magnitude of kinship dynamics however did not influence the timing or duration of the postreproductive life span with females in both ecotypes terminating reproduction before their mid‐40s followed by an expected postreproductive period of about 20 years. Our results highlight the important role of kinship dynamics in the evolution of a long postreproductive life span in long‐lived mammals, while further implying that the timing of menopause may be a robust trait that is persistent despite substantial variation in demographic patterns among populations. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Nielsen, Mia Lybkær Kronborg Ellis, Samuel Towers, Jared R. Doniol‐Valcroze, Thomas Franks, Daniel W. Cant, Michael A. Weiss, Michael N. Johnstone, Rufus A. Balcomb, Kenneth C., III Ellifrit, David K. Croft, Darren P. |
author_facet |
Nielsen, Mia Lybkær Kronborg Ellis, Samuel Towers, Jared R. Doniol‐Valcroze, Thomas Franks, Daniel W. Cant, Michael A. Weiss, Michael N. Johnstone, Rufus A. Balcomb, Kenneth C., III Ellifrit, David K. Croft, Darren P. |
author_sort |
Nielsen, Mia Lybkær Kronborg |
title |
A long postreproductive life span is a shared trait among genetically distinct killer whale populations |
title_short |
A long postreproductive life span is a shared trait among genetically distinct killer whale populations |
title_full |
A long postreproductive life span is a shared trait among genetically distinct killer whale populations |
title_fullStr |
A long postreproductive life span is a shared trait among genetically distinct killer whale populations |
title_full_unstemmed |
A long postreproductive life span is a shared trait among genetically distinct killer whale populations |
title_sort |
long postreproductive life span is a shared trait among genetically distinct killer whale populations |
publisher |
Ecology and Evolution |
publishDate |
2021 |
url |
https://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/handle/1810/323960 https://doi.org/10.17863/CAM.71422 |
genre |
Killer Whale Orca Orcinus orca toothed whales Killer whale |
genre_facet |
Killer Whale Orca Orcinus orca toothed whales Killer whale |
op_relation |
https://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/handle/1810/323960 doi:10.17863/CAM.71422 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.17863/CAM.71422 |
_version_ |
1781062623591137280 |