paternal investment and reproductive success in the California mouse, Peromyscus californicus

摘要

In species with biparental care, the degree of parental investment of each parent may be related to the size of the litter, the parental effort of the partner and the probability of future reproductive success with the same partner. These factors were examined in single females and mated pairs of peromyscus californicus who were required to 'forage' for food by running in a wheel. Offspring survival and growth, parental behaviour, amount of food obtained by running in the wheel and inter-birth intervals between litters were recorded.