Trade-off Between Offspring Quantity and Quality in Pre-Industrial Humans
Author Information
Author(s): Gillespie Duncan O.S, Russell Andrew F, Lummaa Virpi
Primary Institution: Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield
Hypothesis
Does increased maternal fecundity affect offspring quality and maternal fitness differently in resource-poor versus resource-rich families?
Conclusion
In resource-poor families, increased maternal fecundity leads to lower offspring quality, while in resource-rich families, it does not negatively impact maternal fitness.
Supporting Evidence
- Women from landowning families had higher numbers of offspring and grand-offspring than those from landless families.
- Increased maternal fecundity in landless families led to diminished returns in maternal fitness.
- Subsequent offspring fecundity increased with maternal fecundity in landowning families but remained constant in landless families.
Takeaway
Having more babies can be good, but if you have too many, they might not do as well, especially if you don't have enough resources to take care of them.
Methodology
The study analyzed a dataset of 437 women from pre-industrial Finland, examining the relationship between maternal fecundity, offspring recruitment, and subsequent offspring fecundity across different socio-economic conditions.
Potential Biases
Potential biases may arise from the historical context and the accuracy of church records used for data collection.
Limitations
The study may not account for all socio-economic variations within the landless and landowning groups.
Participant Demographics
Women from four geographically isolated parishes in pre-industrial Finland, spanning three generations.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.05
Confidence Interval
95% CI includes zero
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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