Intergenerational transfer of ageing in nature

Principal researcher: David Canal 

Period: 2025-2027

Parental age may have significant effects on offspring performance, but the prevalence, and magnitude of such effects as well as their consequences on offspring life history trajectories remain poorly understood in natural populations. Using a wild bird model system and focusing on parental age effects, this proposal will enhance our knowledge of under-studied aspects of ageing in natural contexts. These include examining: i) the effect of parental age at conception on multiple aspects of offspring performance (physiological condition, survival, and reproductive success); ii) whether a shorter lifespan in offspring is due to greater frailty or an earlier onset of senescence; iii) the extent to which a reduced lifespan in the offspring of old parents impact their fitness and life history strategies, including whether reproductive trajectories are adjusted to compensate for reduced viability; iv) whether parental age effect on offspring are sex-specific and/or v) due to maternal, paternal or both parental lines; v) the relationship between parental microbiome at age of conception on offspring gut microbiome. Particularly, the role of the gut microbiome in ageing in natural contexts is in its infancy. Together, these analyses will provide us with comprehensive insights into the drivers of ageing in a natural bird population.