Ecology Letters, (2008) 11: xxx–xxx doi: 10.1111/j.1461-0248.2008.01187.x LETTER Senescence rates are determined by ranking on the fast–slow life-history continuum
Abstract Owen R. Jones,1* Jean-Michel Comparative analyses of survival senescence by using life tables have identified Gaillard,2 Shripad Tuljapurkar,3 Jussi S. generalizations including the observation that mammals senesce faster than similar-sized Alho,4 Kenneth B. Armitage,5 Peter H. birds. These generalizations have been challenged because of limitations of life-table Becker,6 Pierre Bize,7 Jon Brommer,8 approaches and the growing appreciation that senescence is more than an increasing 9,10 Anne Charmantier, Marie probability of death. Without using life tables, we examine senescence rates in annual 10,11 12 Charpentier, Tim Clutton-Brock, individual fitness using 20 individual-based data sets of terrestrial vertebrates with F. Stephen Dobson,13 Marco Festa- contrasting life histories and body size. We find that senescence is widespread in the wild and Bianchet,14 Lars Gustafsson,15 Henrik equally likely to occur in survival and reproduction. Additionally, mammals senesce faster Jensen,16 Carl G. Jones,17 Bo-Go¨ ran Lillandt,4 Robin McCleery,9, Juha than birds because they have a faster life history for a given body size. By allowing us to Merila¨ ,4 Peter Neuhaus,18 Malcolm disentangle the effects of two major fitness components our methods allow an assessment A. C. Nicoll,19 Ken Norris,19 Madan K. of the robustness of the prevalent life-table approach. Focusing on one aspect of life Oli,20 Josephine Pemberton,21 Hannu history – survival or recruitment – can provide reliable information on overall senescence. Pietia¨ inen,8 Thor Harald Ringsby,16 Alexandre Roulin,22 Bernt-Erik Keywords Saether,16 Joanna M. Setchell,11,23 Ben Aging, comparative analysis, demography, generation time, metabolic rate, senescence. C. Sheldon,9 Paul M. Thompson,24 Henri Weimerskirch,25 E. Jean Wickings11 and Tim Coulson1 Ecology Letters (2008) 11: 1–10
1Division of Biology and Centre for Population Biology, Imperial 15Division of Animal Ecology, Department of Ecology and Evolu- College London, Silwood Park Campus, Ascot, Berks SL5 7PY, UK tion, Evolutionary Biology Centre, Uppsala University, Norbyva¨ gen 2Laboratoire de Biome´trie et Biologie Evolutive, Unite´ Mixte de 18d, SE-75236, Sweden Recherche 5558, Universite´ Claude Bernard Lyon 1, 43 Boulevard du 16Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and 11 Novembre 1918, Villeurbanne Cedex, F 69622 France Technology, N-7491 Trondheim, Norway 3Biological Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA 17Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, Les Augres Manor, Trinity, 4Ecological Genetics Research Unit, Department of Biological and Jersey, UK Environmental Sciences, PO Box 65 (Viikinkaari 1), FIN-00014, 18Institute of Zoology, University of Neuchaˆ tel, Eco-Ethology, Rue University of Helsinki, Finland Emile-Argand 11, case postale 158, CH-2009 Neuchaˆ tel, Switzerland 5Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, The University 19Centre for Agri-Environment Research (CAER), School of Agri- of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66045-7534, USA culture, Policy and Development, University of Reading, Earley 6Institut fuer Vogelforschung, ‘‘Vogelwarte Helgoland’’, An der Gate, PO Box 237, Reading RG6 6AR, UK Vogelwarte 21, D-26386 Wilhelmshaven, Germany 20Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, University of 7Division of Environmental and Evolutionary Biology, Graham Kerr Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611-0430, USA Building, Glasgow University, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK 21Institute of Evolutionary Biology, University of Edinburgh, Ash- 8Bird Ecology Unit, Department of Biological and Environmental worth Laboratories, KingÕs Buildings, West Mains Road, Edinburgh Sciences, PO Box 65 (Viikinkaari 1), FIN-00014, University of EH9 3JT, UK Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland 22Department of Ecology and Evolution, Biophore, University of 9Department of Zoology, Edward Grey Institute, University of Lausanne, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland Oxford, Oxford OX1 3PS, UK 23Department of Biological Anthropology, University of 10Centre dÕEcologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive UMR 5175, CNRS, Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3DZ, UK 1919 Route de Mende, 34293 Montpellier Cedex 5, France 24School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, 11Unite´ de Ge´ne´tique des Ecosyste`mes Tropicaux, Centre International Lighthouse Field Station, George Street, Cromarty, Ross-shire de Recherches Me´dicales de Franceville, BP 769, Franceville, Gabon IV11 8YJ, UK 12Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, 25Centre d’Etudes Biologiques de Chize´ , Centre National de la Cambridge CB2 3EJ, UK Recherche Scientifique, 79360 Villiers en Bois, France 13DepartmentofZoology,AuburnUniversity,Auburn,AL36849-5414,USA *Correspondence: E-mail: [email protected]. 14De´partement de biologie, Universite´ de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Deceased QC J1K 2R1, Canada