The Nature of Nurture Is All About Your Mother, Study Says
When it comes to survival of the fittest, it’s all about your mother – at least in the squirrel world.
New research from the University of Guelph shows that adaptive success in squirrels is often hidden in the genes of their mother.
“Some squirrels are genetically better at being mothers than others,” said Andrew McAdam, a professor in U of G’s Department of Integrative Biology and co-author of the study published today in Proceedings of the Royal Society.
The research team analyzed 24 years’ worth of data from a population of North American red squirrels in Canada’s Yukon and measured maternal genetic effects in squirrel offspring.
Principle:
