Increased mortality exposure within the family rather than individual mortality experiences triggers faster life-history strategies in historic human populations

Charlotte Störmer, Virpi Lummaa

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

impact of family versus individual-level effects of mortality exposure on two central life-history parameters, ages at first marriage and first birth, in three historical human populations (Germany, Finland, Canada). Mortality experience is measured as the confrontation with sibling deaths within the natal family up to an individual's age of 15. Results show that the speed of life histories is not adjusted according to individual-level mortality experiences but is due to family-level effects. The general finding of lower ages at marriage/reproduction after exposure to higher mortality in the family holds for both females and males. This study provides evidence for the importance of the family environment for reproductive timing while individual-level mortality experiences seem to play only a minor role in reproductive life history decisions in humans.
Original languageEnglish
Article numbere83633
Number of pages9
JournalPLoS One
Volume9
Issue number1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 8 Jan 2014

Keywords

  • Life History Theory
  • mortality exposure
  • speed of life histories
  • reproductive timing

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