Saether B E, Gordon I J
Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, Trondheim.
Proc Biol Sci. 1994 Jun 22;256(1347):263-8. doi: 10.1098/rspb.1994.0079.
We examine the relation between litter size, gestation length, neonate mass and growth rate among ungulates. By using a recent method for analysing comparative data, we show that ungulates can be divided along a slow-fast continuum, even after accounting for the effects of maternal body mass and common ancestry. Some species produce many small offspring during a short period, whereas others take a long time to raise a single large offspring. These differences in life-history strategy are associated with diet, i.e. browsers have relatively larger litters and smaller neonates than grazers.
我们研究了有蹄类动物的产仔数、妊娠期长度、新生仔质量和生长速率之间的关系。通过使用一种最新的分析比较数据的方法，我们发现，即使考虑到母体体重和共同祖先的影响，有蹄类动物仍可沿着一个慢-快连续体进行划分。一些物种在短时间内产下许多小后代，而另一些物种则需要很长时间来养育一个大的后代。这些生活史策略上的差异与饮食有关，即食叶动物的产仔数相对较多，新生仔相对较小，而食草动物则相反。
