Uggla, C;
Mace, R;
(2016)
Local ecology influences reproductive timing in Northern Ireland independently of individual wealth.
Behavioral Ecology
, 27
(1)
pp. 158-165.
10.1093/beheco/arv133.
Text
Behavioral Ecology-2016-Uggla-158-65.pdf - Published Version Access restricted to UCL open access staff Download (1MB) |
Abstract
Evolutionary models of human life-history predict that ecological characteristics drive variability in reproductive timing by altering anticipated returns to inclusive fitness. Local extrinsic mortality rate (EMR), crime (CR), and female-biased sex ratios have all been predicted to accelerate reproduction. However, previous research has failed to isolate the impact of these ecological characteristics from individual factors, such as wealth. Here, we utilize a unique longitudinal dataset from Northern Ireland (570 electoral wards; 62339 individuals) that enables us to address this issue and to apply a novel measure of extrinsic mortality based on a definition from public health. We demonstrate that high ward-level EMR, CR, and female-biased sex ratios have additive positive impact on the risk of early motherhood and that CR and EMR predict early fatherhood. These effects remained significant after adjustment for potentially confounding factors but were greatly attenuated when individual-level socioeconomic characteristics were adjusted for. Our findings suggest that young individuals in this population are sensitive to several ecological cues, including local crime and adult sex ratio, which speed up first birth over and above the strong effects of individual wealth.
Type: | Article |
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Title: | Local ecology influences reproductive timing in Northern Ireland independently of individual wealth |
DOI: | 10.1093/beheco/arv133 |
Publisher version: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/beheco/arv133 |
Language: | English |
Additional information: | Copyright © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the International Society for Behavioral Ecology. All rights reserved. |
Keywords: | Adult sex ratio, census, extrinsic mortality rate, life-history theory, Northern Ireland, reproduction |
UCL classification: | UCL UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL SLASH UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL SLASH > Faculty of S&HS UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL SLASH > Faculty of S&HS > Dept of Anthropology |
URI: | https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/1492853 |
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