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Trade-offs between reproduction and health in free-ranging African striped mice

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Abstract

Energy is limited and must be allocated among competing life-history traits. Reproduction is considered one of the most energetically demanding life-history stages. Therefore, the amount of energy an individual invests in reproduction might carry fitness costs through reduced energy allocation to other activities such as health maintenance. We investigated whether reproduction impacts health in the seasonally breeding African striped mouse (Rhabdomys pumilio). We measured health in individuals that reproduced (breeders) and individuals that did not reproduce (their adult offspring) and tested whether: (1) breeders’ health before reproduction was similar to that of their offspring (representing a baseline); (2) breeders’ health deteriorated after reproduction; (3) breeders’ health after reproduction was worse than that of their offspring. We collected blood samples from 12 breeding females and 11 breeding males both at the onset and at the end of the breeding season and from 12 adult daughters and 11 adult sons that did not reproduce at the end of the breeding season. Health was assessed using serum biochemistry analysis with VetScan Abaxis. Breeders differed considerably in their health before and after reproduction, particularly in parameters associated with digestion (lower amylase in males), metabolism (lower albumin, alkaline phosphatase, creatinine and glucose), osmoregulation (lower potassium and phosphorous in females) and immunity (higher globulin and altered alanine aminotransferase). Our results suggest that with the onset of breeding striped mice shifted their energy allocation from maintaining health to reproduction, indicating that investment into reproduction carries significant health costs.

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Acknowledgements

We are grateful to the Department of Tourism, Environment and Conservation of the Northern Cape for issuing research permits. This study was made possible by the administrative and technical support of the Succulent Karoo Research Station (registered South African NPO 122-134). Special thanks go to the SKRS manager C.H. Yuen, who helped with blood collection. We are grateful to two anonymous reviewers and to Prof. Hume for their comments. We extend warm thanks to the manager and staff of the Goegap Nature Reserve for their support. Anjotech (Anjotech, Advanced Chemical Blood Analysis Systems, Johannesburg, South Africa) generously donated some of the ABAXIS rotors used for the blood biochemistry analysis

Funding

This work was supported by The National Research Foundation (Grant Number 80567) and the University of the Witwatersrand.

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All applicable international, national, and/or institutional guidelines for the care and use of animals were followed. Animal ethics clearance was provided by the University of the Witwatersrand (AESC 2007/10/01 and 2007/39/04).

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Communicated by I. D. Hume.

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Schoepf, I., Pillay, N. & Schradin, C. Trade-offs between reproduction and health in free-ranging African striped mice. J Comp Physiol B 187, 625–637 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00360-016-1054-5

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