Dataset
Phosphorus availability affects multiple metrics of reproductive investment in a freshwater snail
University of Iowa
07/10/2025
DOI: 10.25820/data.007804
Abstract
Reproduction, arguably the most important life-history trait to evolutionary fitness, demands significant resources. Reproductively mature animals must “choose” whether to reproduce or to allocate nutrients to other life-history traits. When nutrients are limited, organisms may reduce reproductive investment or even forego reproduction. We address a key knowledge gap regarding how nutrient availability affects multiple metrics of reproductive investment in female animals. Specifically, we experimentally manipulated dietary availability of phosphorus (P), a critical but often limiting nutrient, for reproductively mature Potamopyrgus antipodarum, a New Zealand freshwater snail. We quantified multiple components of reproductive fitness relative to body P content across life-history stages. Our study revealed a suite of outcomes linking key aspects of reproductive fitness to P availability suggesting the central importance of P to life-history milestones. In particular, dietary P availability altered which component of adult female condition – size vs. body P content - influenced the probability of reproduction, demonstrating the central importance of P in life-history milestones. Together, our study of P flow across the life cycle demonstrates that this frequently limiting nutrient is a major component of multiple metrics of reproductive investment in female animals.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Phosphorus availability affects multiple metrics of reproductive investment in a freshwater snail
- Creators
- Briante Shevon Lewis NajevCaleb A. Craven - University of IowaArianna Escandon - University of IowaWinnie R Gavin - University of IowaPrecious M. Pate - University of IowaAmy Krist - University of WyomingMaurine Neiman - University of Iowa, Biology
- Contributors
- Brian Westra (Data Curator) - University of Iowa, Humanities and Social Sciences/Scholarly Impact
- Resource Type
- Dataset
- DOI
- 10.25820/data.007804
- Publisher
- University of Iowa
- Grant note
- This research was funded by the Iowa Sciences Academy, the University of Iowa Office of Undergraduate Research, and the American Malacological Society.
- Language
- English
- Date collected
- 07/10/2023–09/11/2024
- Date published
- 07/10/2025
- Academic Unit
- Gender, Women's and Sexuality Studies; Biology; Humanities and Social Sciences/Scholarly Impact
- Record Identifier
- 9984831008502771
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