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Shaulson ED, Cohen AA, Picard M. The brain-body energy conservation model of aging. NATURE AGING 2024; 4:1354-1371. [PMID: 39379694 DOI: 10.1038/s43587-024-00716-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2023] [Accepted: 09/04/2024] [Indexed: 10/10/2024]
Abstract
Aging involves seemingly paradoxical changes in energy metabolism. Molecular damage accumulation increases cellular energy expenditure, yet whole-body energy expenditure remains stable or decreases with age. We resolve this apparent contradiction by positioning the brain as the mediator and broker in the organismal energy economy. As somatic tissues accumulate damage over time, costly intracellular stress responses are activated, causing aging or senescent cells to secrete cytokines that convey increased cellular energy demand (hypermetabolism) to the brain. To conserve energy in the face of a shrinking energy budget, the brain deploys energy conservation responses, which suppress low-priority processes, producing fatigue, physical inactivity, blunted sensory capacities, immune alterations and endocrine 'deficits'. We term this cascade the brain-body energy conservation (BEC) model of aging. The BEC outlines (1) the energetic cost of cellular aging, (2) how brain perception of senescence-associated hypermetabolism may drive the phenotypic manifestations of aging and (3) energetic principles underlying the modifiability of aging trajectories by stressors and geroscience interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evan D Shaulson
- Department of Psychiatry, Division of Behavioral Medicine, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Alan A Cohen
- Robert N. Butler Columbia Aging Center, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY, USA
| | - Martin Picard
- Department of Psychiatry, Division of Behavioral Medicine, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA.
- Robert N. Butler Columbia Aging Center, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY, USA.
- Department of Neurology, H. Houston Merritt Center for Neuromuscular and Mitochondrial Disorders, Columbia Translational Neuroscience Initiative, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA.
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA.
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2
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Forrester K, Larue B, King WJ, Festa-Bianchet M. Cumulative and interannual effects of reproduction in eastern grey kangaroos. J Anim Ecol 2024. [PMID: 39289862 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.14179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2024] [Accepted: 08/28/2024] [Indexed: 09/19/2024]
Abstract
Reproduction can reduce energy allocation to other life-history traits such as survival and growth. Resource constraints give rise to (co)variation in life-history traits and to heterogeneity in energy acquisition and allocation. At each reproductive opportunity, females face a choice between allocation to current reproduction or to maintenance. Many studies compare reproductive trade-offs between two consecutive years, but few account for the cumulative effects of reproduction over multiple years, a crucial factor in understanding life-history evolution in long-lived iteroparous species. We compared short- (interannual) and long-term (cumulative) reproductive trade-offs with a 14-year capture-mark-recapture study of eastern grey kangaroos, where females can have substantial skeletal growth for several years after maturation. We used a multivariate approach to compare how interannual and multi-annual cumulative reproduction affected growth (n = 378 measurements), mass change (n = 376 measurements) and subsequent reproduction (n = 388 measurements), and to quantify (co)variation between these traits among individuals (n = 107) and years (n = 14). Interannually, young females that reproduced experienced decreased skeletal growth compared to young females that did not reproduce. Reproductive females of all ages experienced reduced mass gain and weaning probability in the following year. The cumulative effects of multiple reproductions included decreased skeletal growth, mass gain and weaning probability in the following year. These effects increased with age and reproductive rate. We found positive trait correlations between mass change, leg growth and subsequent reproduction among individuals and years, though weaker at the cumulative than interannual level. Females experience dynamic interannual and cumulative trade-offs. Our analyses of cumulative costs of reproduction revealed long-term trade-offs as well as cumulative costs that were not apparent when estimating interannual costs. Trait correlations suggested heterogeneity in growth and reproduction among females. Years of increased growth were followed by years of increased reproduction, and years of poor growth were followed by years of poor reproduction. Our exploration of both interannual and cumulative costs of reproduction underscores the need to account for long-term reproductive histories to better understand reproductive trade-offs in long-lived iteroparous species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly Forrester
- Département de Biologie, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada
| | - Benjamin Larue
- Département de Biologie, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada
| | - Wendy J King
- Département de Biologie, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada
- Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Acton, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
| | - Marco Festa-Bianchet
- Département de Biologie, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada
- Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Acton, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
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3
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Benenson JF, Markovits H. Young adults' desired life tradeoffs: love first, sex last. Sci Rep 2024; 14:19680. [PMID: 39181945 PMCID: PMC11344816 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-70742-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2024] [Accepted: 08/20/2024] [Indexed: 08/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Every human and non-human animal must make tradeoffs in investments in terms of time, energy, and resources. The aim of this study was to extrapolate from the types of investments in survival and reproduction that non-human animals make and translate these into human motivations. 16 potential goals were presented to 851 childless, 18-23-year-old adults from 11 world regions in an online study. Each young adult was asked to weight the importance of every goal to his or her ideal life. Weights had to sum to 100, requiring tradeoffs. Results revealed striking agreement across young adults with only four goals weighted above chance: Finding a beloved romantic partner, being physically and emotionally healthy, and earning money or resources. Having lots of sexual partners was the least important goal across all world regions for both sexes. Nevertheless, men more than women valued having many sexual partners, being talented outside work, being physically strong, and having a physically attractive romantic partner. Overall, there was cultural variation in some of the less important goals. Helping young adults achieve success requires understanding their own goals, rather than focusing on popularized depictions of what young adults desire.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joyce F Benenson
- Department of Human Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, 02138, USA.
| | - Henry Markovits
- Département de Psychologie, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montreal, H3C 3P8, Canada
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Liu Y, Wang Y, Zhao ZD, Xie G, Zhang C, Chen R, Zhang Y. A subset of dopamine receptor-expressing neurons in the nucleus accumbens controls feeding and energy homeostasis. Nat Metab 2024; 6:1616-1631. [PMID: 39147933 DOI: 10.1038/s42255-024-01100-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2024] [Accepted: 07/09/2024] [Indexed: 08/17/2024]
Abstract
Orchestrating complex behaviors, such as approaching and consuming food, is critical for survival. In addition to hypothalamus neuronal circuits, the nucleus accumbens (NAc) also controls appetite and satiety. However, specific neuronal subtypes of the NAc that are involved and how the humoral and neuronal signals coordinate to regulate feeding remain incompletely understood. Here we decipher the spatial diversity of neuron subtypes of the NAc shell (NAcSh) and define a dopamine receptor D1-expressing and Serpinb2-expressing subtype controlling food consumption in male mice. Chemogenetics and optogenetics-mediated regulation of Serpinb2+ neurons bidirectionally regulate food seeking and consumption specifically. Circuitry stimulation reveals that the NAcShSerpinb2→LHLepR projection controls refeeding and can overcome leptin-mediated feeding suppression. Furthermore, NAcSh Serpinb2+ neuron ablation reduces food intake and upregulates energy expenditure, resulting in reduced bodyweight gain. Our study reveals a neural circuit consisting of a molecularly distinct neuronal subtype that bidirectionally regulates energy homeostasis, providing a potential therapeutic target for eating disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiqiong Liu
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Program in Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Ying Wang
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Program in Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Zheng-Dong Zhao
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Program in Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Guoguang Xie
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Program in Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Chao Zhang
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Program in Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Renchao Chen
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Program in Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Yi Zhang
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
- Program in Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
- Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Boston, MA, USA.
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5
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Szangolies L, Gallagher CA, Jeltsch F. Individual energetics scale up to community coexistence: Movement, metabolism and biodiversity dynamics in fragmented landscapes. J Anim Ecol 2024; 93:1065-1077. [PMID: 38932441 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.14134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2024] [Accepted: 05/29/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
Unravelling the intricate mechanisms that govern community coexistence remains a daunting challenge, particularly amidst ongoing environmental change. Individual physiology and metabolism are often studied to understand the response of individual animals to environmental change. However, this perspective is currently largely lacking in community ecology. We argue that the integration of individual metabolism into community theory can offer new insights into coexistence. We present the first individual-based metabolic community model for a terrestrial mammal community to simulate energy dynamics and home range behaviour in different environments. Using this model, we investigate how ecologically similar species coexist and maintain their energy balance under food competition. Only if individuals of different species are able to balance their incoming and outgoing energy over the long-term will they be able to coexist. After thoroughly testing and validating the model against real-world patterns such as of home range dynamics and field metabolic rates, we applied it as a case study to scenarios of habitat fragmentation - a widely discussed topic in biodiversity research. First, comparing single-species simulations with community simulations, we find that the effect of habitat fragmentation on populations is strongly context-dependent. While populations of species living alone in the landscape were mostly positively affected by fragmentation, the diversity of a community of species was highest under medium fragmentation scenarios. Under medium fragmentation, energy balance and reproductive investment were also most similar among species. We therefore suggest that similarity in energy balance among species promotes coexistence. We argue that energetics should be part of community ecology theory, as the relative energetic status and reproductive investment can reveal why and under what environmental conditions coexistence is likely to occur. As a result, landscapes can potentially be protected and designed to maximize coexistence. The metabolic community model presented here can be a promising tool to investigate other scenarios of environmental change or other species communities to further disentangle global change effects and preserve biodiversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leonna Szangolies
- Plant Ecology and Nature Conservation, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Cara A Gallagher
- Plant Ecology and Nature Conservation, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Florian Jeltsch
- Plant Ecology and Nature Conservation, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany
- Berlin-Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research (BBIB), Berlin, Germany
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6
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Brown ER, Gettler LT, Rosenbaum S. Effects of social environments on male primate HPG and HPA axis developmental programming. Dev Psychobiol 2024; 66:e22491. [PMID: 38698633 DOI: 10.1002/dev.22491] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2023] [Revised: 03/05/2024] [Accepted: 04/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/05/2024]
Abstract
Developmental plasticity is particularly important for humans and other primates because of our extended period of growth and maturation, during which our phenotypes adaptively respond to environmental cues. The hypothalamus-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) and hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axes are likely to be principal targets of developmental "programming" given their roles in coordinating fitness-relevant aspects of the phenotype, including sexual development, adult reproductive and social strategies, and internal responses to the external environment. In social animals, including humans, the social environment is believed to be an important source of cues to which these axes may adaptively respond. The effects of early social environments on the HPA axis have been widely studied in humans, and to some extent, in other primates, but there are still major gaps in knowledge specifically relating to males. There has also been relatively little research examining the role that social environments play in developmental programming of the HPG axis or the HPA/HPG interface, and what does exist disproportionately focuses on females. These topics are likely understudied in males in part due to the difficulty of identifying developmental milestones in males relative to females and the general quiescence of the HPG axis prior to maturation. However, there are clear indicators that early life social environments matter for both sexes. In this review, we examine what is known about the impact of social environments on HPG and HPA axis programming during male development in humans and nonhuman primates, including the role that epigenetic mechanisms may play in this programming. We conclude by highlighting important next steps in this research area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ella R Brown
- Department of Anthropology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Lee T Gettler
- Department of Anthropology, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana, USA
- Eck Institute for Global Health, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana, USA
| | - Stacy Rosenbaum
- Department of Anthropology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
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7
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Reda GK, Ndunguru SF, Csernus B, Gulyás G, Knop R, Szabó C, Czeglédi L, Lendvai ÁZ. Dietary restriction and life-history trade-offs: insights into mTOR pathway regulation and reproductive investment in Japanese quail. J Exp Biol 2024; 227:jeb247064. [PMID: 38563310 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.247064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2023] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
Resources are needed for growth, reproduction and survival, and organisms must trade off limited resources among competing processes. Nutritional availability in organisms is sensed and monitored by nutrient-sensing pathways that can trigger physiological changes or alter gene expression. Previous studies have proposed that one such signalling pathway, the mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR), underpins a form of adaptive plasticity when individuals encounter constraints in their energy budget. Despite the fundamental importance of this process in evolutionary biology, how nutritional limitation is regulated through the expression of genes governing this pathway and its consequential effects on fitness remain understudied, particularly in birds. We used dietary restriction to simulate resource depletion and examined its effects on body mass, reproduction and gene expression in Japanese quails (Coturnix japonica). Quails were subjected to feeding at 20%, 30% and 40% restriction levels or ad libitum for 2 weeks. All restricted groups exhibited reduced body mass, whereas reductions in the number and mass of eggs were observed only under more severe restrictions. Additionally, dietary restriction led to decreased expression of mTOR and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1), whereas the ribosomal protein S6 kinase 1 (RPS6K1) and autophagy-related genes (ATG9A and ATG5) were upregulated. The pattern in which mTOR responded to restriction was similar to that for body mass. Regardless of the treatment, proportionally higher reproductive investment was associated with individual variation in mTOR expression. These findings reveal the connection between dietary intake and the expression of mTOR and related genes in this pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gebrehaweria K Reda
- Department of Animal Science, Institute of Animal Science, Biotechnology and Nature Conservation, Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences and Environmental Management, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary
- Doctoral School of Animal Science, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary
- Department of Evolutionary Zoology and Human Biology, Faculty of Life Science, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Sawadi F Ndunguru
- Department of Animal Science, Institute of Animal Science, Biotechnology and Nature Conservation, Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences and Environmental Management, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary
- Doctoral School of Animal Science, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary
- Department of Evolutionary Zoology and Human Biology, Faculty of Life Science, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Brigitta Csernus
- Department of Animal Science, Institute of Animal Science, Biotechnology and Nature Conservation, Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences and Environmental Management, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary
- Department of Evolutionary Zoology and Human Biology, Faculty of Life Science, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Gabriella Gulyás
- Department of Animal Science, Institute of Animal Science, Biotechnology and Nature Conservation, Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences and Environmental Management, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Renáta Knop
- Department of Animal Science, Institute of Animal Science, Biotechnology and Nature Conservation, Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences and Environmental Management, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Csaba Szabó
- Department of Animal Nutrition and Physiology, Faculty of Agriculture and Food Sciences and Environmental Management, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Levente Czeglédi
- Department of Animal Science, Institute of Animal Science, Biotechnology and Nature Conservation, Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences and Environmental Management, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Ádám Z Lendvai
- Department of Evolutionary Zoology and Human Biology, Faculty of Life Science, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary
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8
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McGrosky A, Swanson ZS, Rimbach R, Bethancourt H, Ndiema E, Nzunza R, Braun DR, Rosinger AY, Pontzer H. Total daily energy expenditure and elevated water turnover in a small-scale semi-nomadic pastoralist society from Northern Kenya. Ann Hum Biol 2024; 51:2310724. [PMID: 38594936 DOI: 10.1080/03014460.2024.2310724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2023] [Accepted: 01/21/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pastoralists live in challenging environments, which may be accompanied by unique activity, energy, and water requirements. AIM Few studies have examined whether the demands of pastoralism contribute to differences in total energy expenditure (TEE) and water turnover (WT) compared to other lifestyles. SUBJECTS AND METHODS Accelerometer-derived physical activity, doubly labelled water-derived TEE and WT, and anthropometric data were collected for 34 semi-nomadic Daasanach adults from three northern Kenyan communities with different levels of pastoralist activity. Daasanach TEEs and WTs were compared to those of other small-scale and industrialised populations. RESULTS When modelled as a function of fat-free-mass, fat-mass, age, and sex, TEE did not differ between Daasanach communities. Daasanach TEE (1564-4172 kcal/day) was not significantly correlated with activity and 91% of TEEs were within the range expected for individuals from comparison populations. Mean WT did not differ between Daasanach communities; Daasanach absolute (7.54 litres/day men; 7.46 litres/day women), mass-adjusted, and TEE-adjusted WT was higher than most populations worldwide. CONCLUSIONS The similar mass-adjusted TEE of Daasanach and industrialised populations supports the hypothesis that habitual TEE is constrained, with physically demanding lifestyles necessitating trade-offs in energy allocation. Elevated WT in the absence of elevated TEE likely reflects a demanding active lifestyle in a hot, arid climate.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Zane S Swanson
- Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Global Food and Water Security Program, Center for Strategic and International Studies, Washington, WA, USA
| | - Rebecca Rimbach
- Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Department of Behavioural Biology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | | | - Emmanuel Ndiema
- Department of Earth Sciences, National Museums of Kenya, Nairobi, Kenya
| | | | - David R Braun
- Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, Anthropology Department, George Washington University, Washington, WA, USA
- Technological Primate Research Group, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Asher Y Rosinger
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, PA State University, University Park, PA, USA
- Department of Anthropology, Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA, USA
| | - Herman Pontzer
- Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Duke Global Health Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
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9
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Boon-Falleur M, Baumard N, André JB. The Effect of Income and Wealth on Behavioral Strategies, Personality Traits, and Preferences. PERSPECTIVES ON PSYCHOLOGICAL SCIENCE 2024:17456916231201512. [PMID: 38261647 DOI: 10.1177/17456916231201512] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2024]
Abstract
Individuals living in either harsh or favorable environments display well-documented psychological and behavioral differences. For example, people in favorable environments tend to be more future-oriented, trust strangers more, and have more explorative preferences. To account for such differences, psychologists have turned to evolutionary biology and behavioral ecology, in particular, the literature on life-history theory and pace-of-life syndrome. However, critics have found that the theoretical foundations of these approaches are fragile and that differences in life expectancy cannot explain vast psychological and behavioral differences. In this article, we build on the theory of optimal resource allocation to propose an alternative framework. We hypothesize that the quantity of resources available, such as income, has downstream consequences on psychological traits, leading to the emergence of behavioral syndromes. We show that more resources lead to more long-term orientation, more tolerance of variance, and more investment in low marginal-benefit needs. At the behavioral level, this translates, among others, into more large-scale cooperation, more investment in health, and more exploration. These individual-level differences in behavior, in turn, account for cultural phenomena such as puritanism, authoritarianism, and innovation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mélusine Boon-Falleur
- Institut Jean Nicod, Département d'études cognitives, Ecole normale supérieure, Université PSL, EHESS, CNRS
| | - Nicolas Baumard
- Institut Jean Nicod, Département d'études cognitives, Ecole normale supérieure, Université PSL, EHESS, CNRS
| | - Jean-Baptiste André
- Institut Jean Nicod, Département d'études cognitives, Ecole normale supérieure, Université PSL, EHESS, CNRS
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10
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Dolan E, Koehler K, Areta J, Longman DP, Pontzer H. Energy constraint and compensation: Insights from endurance athletes. Comp Biochem Physiol A Mol Integr Physiol 2023; 285:111500. [PMID: 37557979 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2023.111500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2023] [Revised: 08/04/2023] [Accepted: 08/04/2023] [Indexed: 08/11/2023]
Abstract
The Constrained Model of Total Energy Expenditure predicts that increased physical activity may not influence total energy expenditure, but instead, induces compensatory energetic savings in other processes. Much remains unknown, however, about concepts of energy expenditure, constraint and compensation in different populations, and it is unclear whether this model applies to endurance athletes, who expend very large amounts of energy during training and competition. Furthermore, it is well-established that some endurance athletes consciously or unconsciously fail to meet their energy requirements via adequate food intake, thus exacerbating the extent of energetic stress that they experience. Within this review we A) Describe unique characteristics of endurance athletes that render them a useful model to investigate energy constraints and compensations, B) Consider the factors that may combine to constrain activity and total energy expenditure, and C) Describe compensations that occur when activity energy expenditure is high and unmet by adequate energy intake. Our main conclusions are as follows: A) Higher activity levels, as observed in endurance athletes, may indeed increase total energy expenditure, albeit to a lesser degree than may be predicted by an additive model, given that some compensation is likely to occur; B) That while a range of factors may combine to constrain sustained high activity levels, the ability to ingest, digest, absorb and deliver sufficient calories from food to the working muscle is likely the primary determinant in most situations and C) That energetic compensation that occurs in the face of high activity expenditure may be primarily driven by low energy availability i.e., the amount of energy available for all biological processes after the demands of exercise have been met, and not by activity expenditure per se.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eimear Dolan
- Applied Physiology and Nutrition Research Group - Center of Lifestyle Medicine, Faculdade de Medicina FMUSP, Universidade de São Paulo, Brazil.
| | - Karsten Koehler
- Department of Sport and Health Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Jose Areta
- Research Institute of Sport and Exercise Sciences, School of Sport and Exercise Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, UK. https://twitter.com/jlAreta
| | - Daniel P Longman
- School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences, Loughborough University, Loughborough, UK. https://twitter.com/danny_longman
| | - Herman Pontzer
- Global Health Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA. https://twitter.com/HermanPontzer
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11
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Areta JL. Physical performance during energy deficiency in humans: An evolutionary perspective. Comp Biochem Physiol A Mol Integr Physiol 2023; 284:111473. [PMID: 37406958 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2023.111473] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2023] [Revised: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 06/30/2023] [Indexed: 07/07/2023]
Abstract
Energy deficiency profoundly disrupts normal endocrinology, metabolism, and physiology, resulting in an orchestrated response for energy preservation. As such, despite energy deficit is typically thought as positive for weight-loss and treatment of cardiometabolic diseases during the current obesity pandemic, in the context of contemporary sports and exercise nutrition, chronic energy deficiency is associated to negative health and athletic performance consequences. However, the evidence of energy deficit negatively affecting physical capacity and sports performance is unclear. While severe energy deficiency can negatively affect physical capacity, humans can also improve aerobic fitness and strength while facing significant energy deficit. Many athletes, also, compete at an elite and world-class level despite showing clear signs of energy deficiency. Maintenance of high physical capacity despite the suppression of energetically demanding physiological traits seems paradoxical when an evolutionary viewpoint is not considered. Humans have evolved facing intermittent periods of food scarcity in their natural habitat and are able to thrive in it. In the current perspective it is argued that when facing limited energy availability, maintenance of locomotion and physical capacity are of high priority given that they are essential for food procurement for survival in the habitat where humans evolved. When energetic resources are limited, energy may be allocated to tasks essential for survival (e.g. locomotion) while minimising energy allocation to traits that are not (e.g. growth and reproduction). The current perspective provides a model of energy allocation during energy scarcity supported by observation of physiological and metabolic responses that are congruent with this paradigm.
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Affiliation(s)
- José L Areta
- Research Institute for Sport and Exercise Sciences, School of Sport and Exercise Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University, UK.
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12
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Stellingwerff T, Mountjoy M, McCluskey WT, Ackerman KE, Verhagen E, Heikura IA. Review of the scientific rationale, development and validation of the International Olympic Committee Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport Clinical Assessment Tool: V.2 (IOC REDs CAT2)-by a subgroup of the IOC consensus on REDs. Br J Sports Med 2023; 57:1109-1118. [PMID: 37752002 DOI: 10.1136/bjsports-2023-106914] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/28/2023]
Abstract
Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (REDs) has various different risk factors, numerous signs and symptoms and is heavily influenced by one's environment. Accordingly, there is no singular validated diagnostic test. This 2023 International Olympic Committee's REDs Clinical Assessment Tool-V.2 (IOC REDs CAT2) implements a three-step process of: (1) initial screening; (2) severity/risk stratification based on any identified REDs signs/symptoms (primary and secondary indicators) and (3) a physician-led final diagnosis and treatment plan developed with the athlete, coach and their entire health and performance team. The CAT2 also introduces a more clinically nuanced four-level traffic-light (green, yellow, orange and red) severity/risk stratification with associated sport participation guidelines. Various REDs primary and secondary indicators have been identified and 'weighted' in terms of scientific support, clinical severity/risk and methodological validity and usability, allowing for objective scoring of athletes based on the presence or absence of each indicator. Early draft versions of the CAT2 were developed with associated athlete-testing, feedback and refinement, followed by REDs expert validation via voting statements (ie, online questionnaire to assess agreement on each indicator). Physician and practitioner validity and usability assessments were also implemented. The aim of the IOC REDs CAT2 is to assist qualified clinical professionals in the early and accurate diagnosis of REDs, with an appropriate clinical severity and risk assessment, in order to protect athlete health and prevent prolonged and irreversible outcomes of REDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Trent Stellingwerff
- Canadian Sport Institute Pacific, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
- Exercise Science, Physical & Health Education, University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Margo Mountjoy
- Association for Summer Olympic International Federations (ASOIF), Lausanne, Switzerland
- Department of Family Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | | | - Kathryn E Ackerman
- Wu Tsai Female Athlete Program, Division of Sports Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Evert Verhagen
- Amsterdam Collaboration on Health and Safety in Sports and Department of Public and Occupational Health, VU University Medical Centre Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Ida A Heikura
- Canadian Sport Institute Pacific, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
- Exercise Science, Physical & Health Education, University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
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13
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Aprison EZ, Dzitoyeva S, Ruvinsky I. Serotonergic signaling plays a deeply conserved role in improving oocyte quality. Dev Biol 2023; 499:24-30. [PMID: 37121310 PMCID: PMC10247452 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2023.04.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2023] [Revised: 04/21/2023] [Accepted: 04/27/2023] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
Declining germline quality is a major cause of reproductive senescence. Potential remedies could be found by studying regulatory pathways that promote germline quality. Several lines of evidence, including a C. elegans male pheromone ascr#10 that counteracts the effects of germline aging in hermaphrodites, suggest that the nervous system plays an important role in regulating germline quality. Inspired by the fact that serotonin mediates ascr#10 signaling, here we show that serotonin reuptake inhibitors recapitulate the effects of ascr#10 on the germline and promote healthy oocyte aging in C. elegans. Surprisingly, we found that pharmacological increase of serotonin signaling stimulates several developmental processes in D. melanogaster, including improved oocyte quality, although underlying mechanisms appear to be different between worms and flies. Our results reveal a plausibly conserved role for serotonin in maintaining germline quality and identify a class of therapeutic interventions using available compounds that could efficiently forestall reproductive aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin Z Aprison
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
| | - Svetlana Dzitoyeva
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
| | - Ilya Ruvinsky
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA.
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14
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Sandel AA, Negrey JD, Arponen M, Clark IR, Clift JB, Reddy RB, Ivaska KK. The evolution of the adolescent growth spurt: Urinary biomarkers of bone turnover in wild chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes). J Hum Evol 2023; 177:103341. [PMID: 36905703 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2023.103341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2022] [Revised: 02/01/2023] [Accepted: 02/01/2023] [Indexed: 03/11/2023]
Abstract
Life history theory addresses how organisms balance development and reproduction. Mammals usually invest considerable energy into growth in infancy, and they do so incrementally less until reaching adult body size, when they shift energy to reproduction. Humans are unusual in having a long adolescence when energy is invested in both reproduction and growth, including rapid skeletal growth around puberty. Although many primates, especially in captivity, experience accelerated growth in mass around puberty, it remains unclear whether this represents skeletal growth. Without data on skeletal growth in nonhuman primates, anthropologists have often assumed the adolescent growth spurt is uniquely human, and hypotheses for its evolution have focused on other uniquely human traits. The lack of data is largely due to methodological difficulties of assessing skeletal growth in wild primates. Here, we use two urinary markers of bone turnover-osteocalcin and collagen-to study skeletal growth in a large, cross-sectional sample of wild chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) at Ngogo, Kibale National Park, Uganda. For both bone turnover markers, we found a nonlinear effect of age, which was largely driven by males. For male chimpanzees, values for osteocalcin and collagen peaked at age 9.4 years and 10.8 years, respectively, which corresponds to early and middle adolescence. Notably, collagen values increased from 4.5 to 9 years, suggesting faster growth during early adolescence compared to late infancy. Biomarker levels plateaued at 20 years in both sexes, suggesting skeletal growth continues until then. Additional data, notably on females and infants of both sexes, are needed, as are longitudinal samples. However, our cross-sectional analysis suggests an adolescent growth spurt in the skeleton of chimpanzees, especially for males. Biologists should avoid claiming that the adolescent growth spurt is uniquely human, and hypotheses for the patterns of human growth should consider variation in our primate relatives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aaron A Sandel
- Department of Anthropology, University of Texas at Austin, WCP 4.102, 2201 Speedway Stop C3200, Austin, TX 78712, USA; Primate Ethology and Endocrinology Lab, University of Texas at Austin, 2201 Speedway Stop C3200, Austin, TX 78712, USA.
| | - Jacob D Negrey
- School of Human Evolution and Social Change, Arizona State University, 900 S. Cady Mall, Tempe, AZ 85281, USA; Department of Pathology/Section on Comparative Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27101, USA
| | - Milja Arponen
- Institute of Biomedicine, University of Turku, Kiinamyllynkatu 10, 20520 Turku, Finland
| | - Isabelle R Clark
- Department of Anthropology, University of Texas at Austin, WCP 4.102, 2201 Speedway Stop C3200, Austin, TX 78712, USA; Primate Ethology and Endocrinology Lab, University of Texas at Austin, 2201 Speedway Stop C3200, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Jeremy B Clift
- Department of Psychological Science, University of Arkansas, 216 Memorial Hall, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA
| | - Rachna B Reddy
- Department of Human Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, 11 Divinity Ave, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA; Department of Psychology, Harvard University, 33 Kirkland St, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA; Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, 104 Biological Sciences, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Kaisa K Ivaska
- Institute of Biomedicine, University of Turku, Kiinamyllynkatu 10, 20520 Turku, Finland
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15
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McGrosky A, Pontzer H. The fire of evolution: energy expenditure and ecology in primates and other endotherms. J Exp Biol 2023; 226:297166. [PMID: 36916459 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.245272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/16/2023]
Abstract
Total energy expenditure (TEE) represents the total energy allocated to growth, reproduction and body maintenance, as well as the energy expended on physical activity. Early experimental work in animal energetics focused on the costs of specific tasks (basal metabolic rate, locomotion, reproduction), while determination of TEE was limited to estimates from activity budgets or measurements of subjects confined to metabolic chambers. Advances in recent decades have enabled measures of TEE in free-living animals, challenging traditional additive approaches to understanding animal energy budgets. Variation in lifestyle and activity level can impact individuals' TEE on short time scales, but interspecific differences in TEE are largely shaped by evolution. Here, we review work on energy expenditure across the animal kingdom, with a particular focus on endotherms, and examine recent advances in primate energetics. Relative to other placental mammals, primates have low TEE, which may drive their slow pace of life and be an evolved response to the challenges presented by their ecologies and environments. TEE variation among hominoid primates appears to reflect adaptive shifts in energy throughput and allocation in response to ecological pressures. As the taxonomic breadth and depth of TEE data expand, we will be able to test additional hypotheses about how energy budgets are shaped by environmental pressures and explore the more proximal mechanisms that drive intra-specific variation in energy expenditure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda McGrosky
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Herman Pontzer
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA.,Duke Global Health Institute, Durham, NC 27708, USA
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16
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Sadhir S, Pontzer H. Impact of energy availability and physical activity on variation in fertility across human populations. J Physiol Anthropol 2023; 42:1. [PMID: 36829218 PMCID: PMC9951524 DOI: 10.1186/s40101-023-00318-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 02/08/2023] [Indexed: 02/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Human reproduction is energetically costly, even more so than other primates. In this review, we consider how the energy cost of physical activity impacts reproductive tasks. Daily energy expenditure appears to be constrained, leading to trade-offs between activity and reproduction expenditures in physically active populations. High workloads can lead to suppression of basal metabolic rate and low gestational weight gain during pregnancy and longer interbirth intervals. These responses lead to variation in fertility, including age at first reproduction and interbirth interval. The influence of energetics is evident even in industrialized populations, where cultural and economic factors predominate. With the decoupling of skills acquisition from food procurement, extrasomatic resources and investment in individual offspring becomes very costly. The result is greater investment in fewer offspring. We present a summary of age at first reproduction and interbirth interval trends across a diverse, global sample representing 44 countries and two natural fertility populations. While economic factors impact fertility, women in energy-rich, industrialized populations are capable of greater reproductive output than women in energy-stressed populations. Thus, energetic factors can be disentangled from cultural and economic impacts on fertility. Future research should focus on objective measurements of energy intake, energy expenditure, and physical activity in a broader sample of populations to elucidate the role of energetics in shaping reproductive outcomes and health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Srishti Sadhir
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA.
| | - Herman Pontzer
- grid.26009.3d0000 0004 1936 7961Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC USA ,grid.26009.3d0000 0004 1936 7961Duke Global Health Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC USA
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17
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Gonzalez JT, Batterham AM, Atkinson G, Thompson D. Perspective: Is the Response of Human Energy Expenditure to Increased Physical Activity Additive or Constrained? Adv Nutr 2023; 14:406-419. [PMID: 36828336 DOI: 10.1016/j.advnut.2023.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2022] [Revised: 02/01/2023] [Accepted: 02/17/2023] [Indexed: 02/25/2023] Open
Abstract
The idea that increasing physical activity directly adds to TEE in humans (additive model) has been challenged by the energy constrained hypothesis (constrained model). This model proposes that increased physical activity decreases other components of metabolism to constrain TEE. There is a logical evolutionary argument for trade-offs in metabolism, but, to date, evidence supporting constraint is subject to several limitations, including cross-sectional and correlational studies with potential methodological issues from extreme differences in body size/composition and lifestyle, potential statistical issues such as regression dilution and spurious correlations, and conclusions drawn from deductive inference rather than direct observation of compensation. Addressing these limitations in future studies, ideally, randomized controlled trials should improve the accuracy of models of human energy expenditure. The available evidence indicates that in many scenarios, the effect of increasing physical activity on TEE will be mostly additive although some energy appears to "go missing" and is currently unaccounted for. The degree of energy balance could moderate this effect even further. Adv Nutr 2023;x:xx-xx.
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Affiliation(s)
- Javier T Gonzalez
- Department for Health, University of Bath, Bath, United Kingdom; Centre for Nutrition, Exercise, and Metabolism, University of Bath, Bath, United Kingdom.
| | - Alan M Batterham
- Professor Emeritus, School of Health and Life Sciences, Teesside University, Middlesborough, United Kingdom
| | - Greg Atkinson
- Research Institute for Sport and Exercise Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Dylan Thompson
- Department for Health, University of Bath, Bath, United Kingdom; Centre for Nutrition, Exercise, and Metabolism, University of Bath, Bath, United Kingdom
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18
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Historical and hunter-gatherer perspectives on fast-slow life history strategies. EVOL HUM BEHAV 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.evolhumbehav.2023.02.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/13/2023]
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19
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Martin C. Waste not, want not. Curr Biol 2022; 32:R589-R590. [PMID: 35728535 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2022.05.054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
When faced with limited resources, organisms evolve ways to conserve. In this editorial, Martin introduces a special issue devoted to economies in biology and highlights key issues, including some interesting examples of conservation and how fixed resource budgets force tradeoffs in life history traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cyrus Martin
- Cyrus Martin is Current Biology's Senior Scientific Editor.
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