Abstract

Maternal influences on offspring phenotype extend far beyond the transmission of maternal genes. Mothers may manipulate the quality of offspring early environment, with long-lasting effects on their fitness. Understanding whether and how mothers can adjust offspring pre- and postnatal development to the environment they will encounter is a topical question in evolutionary biology. Indeed, increasing appreciation of the importance of epigenetic effects – environmental effects on patterns of gene expression – is currently changing traditional views of development. My current work aims at understanding the extent and significance of maternal control over offspring growth and social trajectories in a wild cooperative mammal, the meerkat (Suricata suricatta). I will briefly present the current state of knowledge on maternal effects in social mammals, before explaining what insights may be gained from meerkat societies.