Clutton-Brock T H, Russell A F, Sharpe L L, Brotherton P N, McIlrath G M, White S, Cameron E Z
Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EJ, UK.
Science. 2001 Sep 28;293(5539):2446-9. doi: 10.1126/science.1061274.
Although breeding success is known to increase with group size in several cooperative mammals, the mechanisms underlying these relationships are uncertain. We show that in wild groups of cooperative meerkats, Suricata suricatta, reductions in the ratio of helpers to pups depress the daily weight gain and growth of pups and the daily weight gain of helpers. Increases in the daily weight gain of pups are associated with heavier weights at independence and at 1 year of age, as well as with improved foraging success as juveniles and higher survival rates through the first year of life. These results suggest that the effects of helpers on the fitness of pups extend beyond weaning and that helpers may gain direct as well as indirect benefits by feeding pups.
虽然已知在几种合作性哺乳动物中繁殖成功率会随着群体规模的增加而提高，但这些关系背后的机制尚不确定。我们发现，在野生的合作性狐獴（Suricata suricatta）群体中，帮手与幼崽的比例降低会抑制幼崽的日增重和生长以及帮手的日增重。幼崽日增重的增加与独立时和1岁时更重的体重相关，也与幼年时更好的觅食成功率以及生命第一年更高的存活率相关。这些结果表明，帮手对幼崽适合度的影响超出了断奶期，并且帮手通过喂养幼崽可能获得直接和间接的好处。
