Abstract
The duration of the developmental period represents a fundamental axis of life-history variation, yet broad insights regarding the drivers of this diversity are currently lacking. Here, we test mechanistic and ecological explanations for the evolution of developmental duration using embryological data and information on incubation and fledging for 3096 avian species. Developmental phases associated primarily with growth are the longest and most variable, consistent with a role for allometric constraint in determining the duration of development. In addition, developmental durations retain a strong imprint of deep evolutionary history and body size differences among species explain less variation than previously thought. Finally, we reveal ecological correlates of developmental durations, including variables associated with the relative safety of the developmental environment and pressures of breeding phenology. Overall, our results provide broad-scale insight into the relative importance of mechanistic, ecological and evolutionary constraints in shaping the diversification of this key life-history trait.
Original language | English |
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Article number | 2383 |
Journal | Nature Communications |
Volume | 11 |
Issue number | 1 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 14 May 2020 |
Funding
We thank Kevin Laland for providing access to data, Dustin Marshall for stimulating discussion and Joseph Brown, Angela Chira, Yichen He, Emma Hughes and Jonathon Kennedy for constructive comments on the manuscript. This work was funded by a Leverhulme Early Career Fellowship (ECF-2018-101) to C.R.C., a NKFIH (KH 130430) and a Hungarian Ministry of Human Capacities grant (20385-3/2018/FEKUSTRAT) to A.L., a Royal Society University Research Fellowship (URF\R\180006) and European Research Council grant (615709 Project ‘ToLERates’) to G.H.T., a Royal Society Wolfson Merit Award (WM170050, APEX APX\R1\191045), a Leverhulme Trust grant (RF/2/RFG/2005/0279, ID200660763) and a National Research, Development and Innovation Office of Hungary grant (ÉLVONAL KKP-126949, K-116310) to T.S., a Royal Society Dorothy Hodgkin Research Fellowship (DH160200) to N.H. and a NERC Independent Research Fellowship (NE/N013948/1) to A.E.W.
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- General Chemistry
- General Biochemistry,Genetics and Molecular Biology
- General Physics and Astronomy