Various biological attributes associated with individual fitness in animals change predictably
over the lifespan of an organism. Therefore, the study of animal ecology and the work of …

The prediction that telomere length (TL) shortens with increasing age is a major element in
considering the role of telomeres as a key player in evolution. While telomere attrition is …

Current animal welfare protocols focus on demonstrating the absence (or at least low levels)
of indicators of poor welfare, potentially creating a mismatch between what is expected by …

Stress exposure can leave long-term footprints within the organism, like in telomeres (TLs),
protective chromosome caps that shorten during cell replication and following exposure to …

Reproduction, a basic property of biological life, entails costs for an organism, ultimately
detectable as reduction in survival prospects. Telomeres are an excellent candidate …

Species that hibernate generally live longer than would be expected based solely on their
body size. Hibernation is characterized by long periods of metabolic suppression (torpor) …

Hibernation is linked with various hypotheses to explain the extended lifespan of hibernating
mammals compared with their non-hibernating counterparts. Studies on telomeres, markers …

Individual variation in survival probability due to differential responses to early‐life
environmental conditions is important in the evolution of life histories and senescence. A …

Understanding individual‐level variation in response to the environment is fundamental to
understanding life‐history evolution and population dynamics. Telomeres, the protective …

Organisms react to environmental changes through plastic responses that often involve
physiological alterations with the potential to modify life-history traits and fitness …