Maternal Effects As Adaptations

by Timothy A. Mousseau (Editor), Charles W. Fox (Editor)

Phenotypic variation is influenced by both genetic and environmental variation. One important source of environmental variation is the maternal effect: influences of the maternal environment on offspring phenotype. Heritable maternal effects have been shown to influence the life histories, behaviour, and population dynamics of a wide variety of plants and animals, and are likely to have evolved as a mechanism for cueing offspring to appropriate development for predicted environmental conditions.

375 pages, Hardcover

First published June 18, 1998