Premium
An integrative study of ageing in a wild population of common lizards
Author(s) -
Massot Manuel,
Clobert Jean,
MontesPoloni Laetitia,
Haussy Claudy,
Cubo Jorge,
Meylan Sandrine
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
functional ecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.272
H-Index - 154
eISSN - 1365-2435
pISSN - 0269-8463
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2435.2011.01837.x
Subject(s) - biology , ageing , senescence , offspring , lizard , litter , reproduction , ecology , population , zoology , longevity , evolutionary biology , physiology , demography , genetics , pregnancy , sociology
Summary 1. Integrative studies on ageing patterns in multiple traits of organisms are challenging and rare in free‐living populations. However, developing integrative approaches could prove useful to understanding ageing patterns as causes of age variations are diverse, with conflicting or related actions. Accordingly, we investigated age variation of multiple aspects in the common lizard Lacerta ( Zootoca ) vivipara . 2. In a wild population of common lizards, we studied five fitness components, three physiological traits (cell‐mediated immunity, corticosterone level, resting metabolic rate), and controlled for individual and environmental heterogeneities. To quantify ageing patterns in fitness, we used individual‐based data collected over 14 years (18 684 captures, 892 reproductive events). 3. Ageing patterns were found in multiple aspects. They provided evidence for female maturation early in adulthood (access to reproduction, litter size), followed by senescence in female reproduction (litter success) and survival. In parallel to senescence, a pattern of terminal investment enhanced offspring quality (offspring body size, offspring corpulence, litter success). Ageing patterns involved physiology with higher metabolic rate and T cell‐mediated immune response in old females. 4. Several ageing patterns were dependent on environmental and individual characteristics (habitat, year, sex, body size). Interestingly, senescence occurred only in females with a high reproductive effort early in life. Rarely showed, this trade‐off between early and late‐life performances is expected under the antagonistic pleiotropy and disposable soma theories of senescence. 5. Overall, this study emphasizes the interest of integrative studies to investigate the multifaceted process of ageing.