Phosphorus availability affects multiple metrics of female reproductive investment in a freshwater snail

Briante Najev; Gwendolyn Gavin; Caleb Craven; Arianna Escandon; Precious Pate; Amy C. Krist; Maurine Neiman

doi:10.1098/rsos.251895

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Phosphorus availability affects multiple metrics of female reproductive investment in a freshwater snail

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Phosphorus availability affects multiple metrics of female reproductive investment in a freshwater snail

Briante Najev, Gwendolyn Gavin, Caleb Craven, Arianna Escandon, Precious Pate, Amy C. Krist and Maurine Neiman

Royal Society open science, Vol.13(3), 251895

03/11/2026

DOI: 10.1098/rsos.251895

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Abstract

Reproduction, arguably the most important life-history trait with respect to evolutionary fitness, demands significant resources. The nutrients needed to reproduce are among the most critical of resources, but whether and how reproductive investment in animals is affected by nutrient limitation is largely unclear. We address this key knowledge gap by experimentally manipulating dietary availability of phosphorus (P) for reproductively mature female Potamopyrgus antipodarum, a New Zealand freshwater snail. P is critical across life as a major component of nucleic acids and ribosomes but is often limiting in natural environments. 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, providing new evidence for the central importance of P to life-history milestones. Together, our study demonstrates that P is a major component of multiple metrics of reproductive investment in an animal system.

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Title: Subtitle: Phosphorus availability affects multiple metrics of female reproductive investment in a freshwater snail
Creators: Briante Najev - University of Iowa
Gwendolyn Gavin - University of Iowa
Caleb Craven - University of Iowa
Arianna Escandon - University of Iowa
Precious Pate - University of Iowa
Amy C. Krist - University of Wyoming
Maurine Neiman - University of Iowa
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Royal Society open science, Vol.13(3), 251895
DOI: 10.1098/rsos.251895
ISSN: 2054-5703
eISSN: 2054-5703
Publisher: Royal Soc London
Number of pages: 11
Grant note: Iowa Sciences Academy Office of Undergraduate Research at the University of Iowa American Malacological Society
Language: English
Date published: 03/11/2026
Academic Unit: Gender, Women's and Sexuality Studies; Biology
Record Identifier: 9985147089502771

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