TY - JOUR
T1 - Reproductive constraints on aggressive competition in female baboons
AU - Packer, Craig
AU - Collins, D. A.
AU - Sindimwo, A.
AU - Goodall, J.
PY - 1995/1/5
Y1 - 1995/1/5
N2 - COMPETITIVE interaction between females of the same social group is characteristic of most primate species1–3. In Old World monkeys, females of high social rank maintain priority of access to scarce resources and harass low-ranking companions1–6. But different field studies have found differing correlations between female dominance and reproductive success: several populations show an advantage of rank whereas others do not1, 3, 5, 7. Although such variation may reflect divergent levels of predation, food availability or social stress in different environments, female competitive ability may also be balanced by significant reproductive costs and thus be subject to strong stabilizing selection. We report here that high-ranking female baboons (Papio cynocephalm anubis) at Gombe National Park, Tanzania, enjoy shorter interbirth intervals, improved infant survival, and accelerated maturation of their daughters. These advantages, however, are countered by a significantly higher probability of miscarriage, and a proportion of high-ranking females suffer from reduced fertility.
AB - COMPETITIVE interaction between females of the same social group is characteristic of most primate species1–3. In Old World monkeys, females of high social rank maintain priority of access to scarce resources and harass low-ranking companions1–6. But different field studies have found differing correlations between female dominance and reproductive success: several populations show an advantage of rank whereas others do not1, 3, 5, 7. Although such variation may reflect divergent levels of predation, food availability or social stress in different environments, female competitive ability may also be balanced by significant reproductive costs and thus be subject to strong stabilizing selection. We report here that high-ranking female baboons (Papio cynocephalm anubis) at Gombe National Park, Tanzania, enjoy shorter interbirth intervals, improved infant survival, and accelerated maturation of their daughters. These advantages, however, are countered by a significantly higher probability of miscarriage, and a proportion of high-ranking females suffer from reduced fertility.
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U2 - 10.1038/373060a0
DO - 10.1038/373060a0
M3 - Article
C2 - 7800039
AN - SCOPUS:0028976653
SN - 0028-0836
VL - 373
SP - 60
EP - 63
JO - Nature
JF - Nature
IS - 6509
ER -