Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Sex-biased maternal expenditure in Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep

  • Published:
Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

We examined maternal energy expenditure in Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep to test the hypothesis (Trivers and Willard 1973) that individual sons in polygynous mammals should obtain a larger maternal subsidy. In accord with theory, males weighed more at birth (an index of relative prenatal expenditure), tended to suckle more between 40 and 100 days of age (an index of relative postnatal expenditure) and imposed greater delays on their mothers' return to estrus in the subsequent breeding season (an index of relative total preweaning expenditure). Mothers rather than offspring appeared to have primary control over postnatal expenditure. The effect of maternal reproductive effort on return to estrus was cumulative over a period of 3–5 years so that ewes making relatively large expenditures gave birth progressively later. Ewe and lamb mortality was associated with late conception in the previous rut. Thus, differential reproductive effort by ewes in this population appeared to entail a fitness cost involving reductions in both offspring and maternal survivorship.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Barber N (1991) Play and energy regulation in mammals. Q Rev Biol 66:129–147

    Google Scholar 

  • Berger J (1979a) Social ontogeny and behavioural diversity: consequences for bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis) inhabiting desert and mountain environments. J Zool London 188:251–266

    Google Scholar 

  • Berger J (1979b) Weaning conflict in desert and mountain bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis): an ecological interpretation. Z Tierpsychol 50:188–200

    Google Scholar 

  • Blood DA, Flook DR, Wishart WD (1970) Weights and growth of Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep in Western Alberta. J Wildl Manage 34:451–455

    Google Scholar 

  • Borer KT (1987) How running accelerates growth. Prog Psychobiol 12:47–115

    Google Scholar 

  • Byers JA, Bekoff M (1990) Inference in social evolution theory: a case study. In: Bekoff M, Jamieson D (eds) Interpretation and explanation in the study of animal behavior: Vol. 2: Explanation, evolution and adaptation. Westview Press, Boulder, pp 84–97

    Google Scholar 

  • Byers JA, Moodie JD (1990) Sex-specific maternal investment in pronghorn, and the question of a limit on differential provisioning in ungulates. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 26:157–164

    Google Scholar 

  • Charnov EL (1979) The genetical evolution of patterns of sexuality: Darwinian fitness. Am Nat 113:465–480

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Charnov EL (1982) The theory of sex allocation. Princeton University Press, Princeton

    Google Scholar 

  • Clark AB (1978) Sex-ratio and local resource competition in a prosimian primate. Science 201:163–165

    Google Scholar 

  • Clutton-Brock TH (1991) The evolution of parental care. Princeton University Press, Princeton

    Google Scholar 

  • Clutton-Brock TH, Albon SD, Guinness FE (1982b) Competition between female relatives in a matrilocal mammal. Nature 300:178–180

    Google Scholar 

  • Clutton-Brock TH, Guinness FE, Albon SD (1982b) Red Deer: Behavior and Ecology of the Two Sexes. University of Chicago Press, Chicago

    Google Scholar 

  • Dawkins R, Krebs JR (1979) Arms races between and within species. Proc R Soc London B 205:489–511

    Google Scholar 

  • Draper NR, Smith H (1981) Applied regression analysis, 2nd edn. John Wiley, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Estes RD (1976) The significance of breeding synchrony in the wildebeest. E Afr Wildl J 14:135–152

    Google Scholar 

  • Festa-Bianchet M (1988a) Age-specific reproduction of bighorn ewes in Alberta, Canada. J Mammal 69:157–160

    Google Scholar 

  • Festa-Bianchet M (1988b) Birthdate and survival in bighorn lambs (Ovis canadensis). J Zool London 214:653–661

    Google Scholar 

  • Festa-Bianchet M (1988c) Nursing behaviour of bighorn sheep: correlates of ewe age, parasitism, lamb age, birthdate and sex. Anim Behav 36:1445–1454

    Google Scholar 

  • Festa-Bianchet M (1989a) Individual differences, parasites, and the costs of reproduction for bighorn ewes (Ovis canadensis). J Anim Ecol 58:785–795

    Google Scholar 

  • Festa-Bianchet M (1989b) Survival of male bighorn sheep in Southwestern Alberta. J Wildl Manage 53:259–263

    Google Scholar 

  • Festa-Bianchet M (1991) The social system of bighorn sheep: grouping patterns, kinship and female dominance rank. Anim Behav 42:71–82

    Google Scholar 

  • Frisch RE (1984) Body fat, puberty and fertility. Biol Rev 59:161–188

    Google Scholar 

  • Geist V (1966) Validity of horn segment counts in aging bighorn sheep. J Wildl Manage 30:634–635

    Google Scholar 

  • Geist V (1971) Mountain sheep: a study in behavior and evolution. University of Chicago Press, Chicago

    Google Scholar 

  • Guinness FE, Albon SD, Clutton-Brock TH (1978b) Factors affecting reproduction in red deer (Cervus elaphus). J Reprod Fert 54:325–334

    Google Scholar 

  • Guinness FE, Clutton-Brock TH, Albon SD (1978b) Factors affecting calf mortality in red deer. J Anim Ecol 47:817–832

    Google Scholar 

  • Guinness FE, Gibson RM, Clutton-Brock TH (1978c) Calving times of red deer (Cervus elaphus) on Rhum. J Zool London 185:105–114

    Google Scholar 

  • Gunn RG, Doney JM (1975) The interaction of nutrition and body condition at mating on ovulation rate and early embryo mortality in Scottish blackface ewes. J Agric Sci 85:465–470

    Google Scholar 

  • Hansen CG (1965) Growth and development of desert bighorn sheep. J Wildl Manage 29:387–391

    Google Scholar 

  • Hass CC (1986) Play behavior and dominance relations of bighorn sheep on the National Bison Range. M.A. Dissertation, University of Montana

  • Hass CC (1989) Bighorn lamb mortality: predation, inbreeding and population effects. Can J Zool 67:699–705

    Google Scholar 

  • Hass CC (1990) Alternative maternal care patterns in two herds of bighorn sheep. J Mammal 71:24–35

    Google Scholar 

  • Hogg JT (1984) Mating in bighorn sheep: multiple creative male strategies. Science 225:526–529

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hogg JT (1987) Intrasexual competition and mate choice in Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep. Ethology 75:119–144

    Google Scholar 

  • Hogg JT (1988) Copulatory tactics in relation to sperm competition in Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 22:49–59

    Google Scholar 

  • Horejsi B (1976) Suckling and feeding behaviour in relation to lamb survival in bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis canadensis Shaw). PhD. Dissertation, University of Calgary Jorgenson JT, Wishart WD (1984) Growth rates of Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep on Ram Mountain, Alberta. In: Proceedings of the Northern Wild Sheep and Goat Council, Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, pp 270–284

  • Maynard-Smith J (1980) A new theory of sexual investment. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 7:247–251

    Google Scholar 

  • Miller MN, Byers JA (1991) Energetic cost of locomotor play in pronghorn fawns. Anim Behav 41:1007–1013

    Google Scholar 

  • Mitchell B, Lincoln GA (1973) Conception dates in relation to age and condition in two populations of red deer in Scotland. J Zool London 171:141–152

    Google Scholar 

  • Mitchell B, McCowan D, Nicholson IA (1976) Annual cycles of body weight and condition in Scottish red deer, Cervus elaphus. J Zool London 180:107–127

    Google Scholar 

  • Norusis MJ (1988) SPSS/PC+ V2.0 for the IBM PC/XT/AT and PS2. SPSS Inc., Chicago

    Google Scholar 

  • Oftedal OT (1985) Pregnancy and lactation. In: Hudson RJ, White RG (eds) Bioenergetics of wild herbivores. CRC Press, Boca Raton, Florida, pp 215–238

    Google Scholar 

  • Reznick D (1985) Costs of reproduction: an evaluation of the empirical evidence. Oikos 44:257–267

    Google Scholar 

  • Rutberg AT (1987) Adaptive hypotheses of birth synchrony in ruminants: an interspecific test. Am Nat 130:692–710

    Google Scholar 

  • Sadlier R (1969) The ecology of reproduction in wild and domestic mammals. Methuen, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Schallenberger AD (1972) Management and research on bighorn sheep, Sun River Area, Montana. In: Proceedings of the Northern Wild Sheep and Goat Council, Hinton, Alberta, pp 2–15

  • Schindler H, Amir D (1972) Length of oestrus, duration of phenomena related to oestrus, and ovulation time in the local fattailed Awassi ewe. J Agric Sci 78:151–156

    Google Scholar 

  • Shackleton DM, Haywood J (1985) Early mother-young interactions in California bighorn sheep, Ovis canadensis californiana. Can J Zool 65:868–875

    Google Scholar 

  • Sibly RM, Calow P (1986) Physiological ecology of animals: an evolutionary approach. Blackwell, Boston

    Google Scholar 

  • Sokal RR, Rohlf FJ (1981) Biometry. Freeman, San Francisco

    Google Scholar 

  • Thorne T, Butler G, Varcalli T, Becker K, Hayden-Wing S (1979) The status, mortality and response to management of the bighorn sheep of Whiskey Mountain. (Wildlife Technical Report Number 7.) Wyoming Game and Fish Department, Cheyenne

    Google Scholar 

  • Trivers RL, Willard DE (1973) Natural selection of parental ability to vary the sex ratio of offspring. Science 179:90–92

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Willson MF, Pianka ER (1963) Sexual selection, sex ratio and the mating system. Am Nat 97:405–407

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Author notes

  1. John T. Hogg

    Present address: Craighead Wildlife-Wildlands Institute, 5200 Upper Miller Creek Road, 59803, Missoula, MT, USA

  2. Christine C. Hass

    Present address: Department of Biology, University of North Dakota, 58202, Grand Forks, ND, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Biological Sciences, University of Montana, 59812, Missoula, MT, USA

    John T. Hogg, Christine C. Hass & Donald A. Jenni

Authors
  1. John T. Hogg
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Christine C. Hass
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Donald A. Jenni
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Additional information

Correspondence to: J.T. Hogg at the present address

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Hogg, J.T., Hass, C.C. & Jenni, D.A. Sex-biased maternal expenditure in Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 31, 243–251 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00171679

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00171679

Keywords

Search

Navigation