Maternal effects alter the severity of inbreeding depression in the offspring

• Published in: Proceedings of the Royal Society. B, Biological sciences Vol. 283; no. 1838; p. 20161023
• Main Authors: Pilakouta, Natalie, Smiseth, Per T.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England The Royal Society 14.09.2016
• Subjects: Animals; Body Size; Burying Beetle; Coleoptera - genetics; Female; Inbreeding Depression; Larva; Maternal Effects; Maternal Inheritance; Offspring Fitness; Parental Care; body size; parental care; Nicrophorus vespilloides; burying beetle; maternal effects; offspring fitness

A maternal effect is a causal influence of the maternal phenotype on the offspring phenotype over and above any direct effects of genes. There is abundant evidence that maternal effects can have a major impact on offspring fitness. Yet, no previous study has investigated the potential role of matern...