Heritability of tarsus length in cross-fostered European Starling broods

Henrik G. Smith

doi:10.1038/hdy.1993.142

Heritability of tarsus length in cross-fostered European Starling broods

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Abstract

A cross-fostering experiment demonstrated that tarsus length of European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) was heritable. The tarsus length of the foster-parent had no effect. A full-sib resemblance analysis showed that sibs were much more similar in tarsus length than explained by heritability alone. This was partly due to an effect of female mating status on offspring tarsus length. When nestling growth was retarded in secondary females' nests due to reduced male assistance, the increased environmental variation in tarsus length masked the heritability.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	318-322
Journal	Heredity
Volume	71
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/hdy.1993.142
Publication status	Published - 1993

Subject classification (UKÄ)

Zoology
Ecology

Free keywords

cross-fostering
ecological genetics

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10.1038/hdy.1993.142

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title = "Heritability of tarsus length in cross-fostered European Starling broods",

abstract = "A cross-fostering experiment demonstrated that tarsus length of European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) was heritable. The tarsus length of the foster-parent had no effect. A full-sib resemblance analysis showed that sibs were much more similar in tarsus length than explained by heritability alone. This was partly due to an effect of female mating status on offspring tarsus length. When nestling growth was retarded in secondary females' nests due to reduced male assistance, the increased environmental variation in tarsus length masked the heritability.",

keywords = "cross-fostering, ecological genetics",

author = "Smith, {Henrik G.}",

year = "1993",

doi = "10.1038/hdy.1993.142",

language = "English",

volume = "71",

pages = "318--322",

journal = "Heredity",

issn = "1365-2540",

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AU - Smith, Henrik G.

PY - 1993

Y1 - 1993

N2 - A cross-fostering experiment demonstrated that tarsus length of European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) was heritable. The tarsus length of the foster-parent had no effect. A full-sib resemblance analysis showed that sibs were much more similar in tarsus length than explained by heritability alone. This was partly due to an effect of female mating status on offspring tarsus length. When nestling growth was retarded in secondary females' nests due to reduced male assistance, the increased environmental variation in tarsus length masked the heritability.

AB - A cross-fostering experiment demonstrated that tarsus length of European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) was heritable. The tarsus length of the foster-parent had no effect. A full-sib resemblance analysis showed that sibs were much more similar in tarsus length than explained by heritability alone. This was partly due to an effect of female mating status on offspring tarsus length. When nestling growth was retarded in secondary females' nests due to reduced male assistance, the increased environmental variation in tarsus length masked the heritability.

KW - cross-fostering

KW - ecological genetics

U2 - 10.1038/hdy.1993.142

DO - 10.1038/hdy.1993.142

M3 - Article

SN - 1365-2540

VL - 71

SP - 318

EP - 322

JO - Heredity

JF - Heredity

ER -

Heritability of tarsus length in cross-fostered European Starling broods

Abstract

Subject classification (UKÄ)

Free keywords

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