Clutch (eggs)

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A sea turtle clutch.
A sea turtle clutch.

A clutch of eggs refers to all the eggs produced by one bird or reptile at a single time, particularly those laid in a nest.

[edit] Clutch size

Clutch size will differ greatly between species, sometimes even within the same genus. It may also differ within the same species due to many factors including habitat, health, nutrition, predation pressures, and time of year[1]. Clutch size variation can also reflect variation in optimal reproduction effort. Long lived species tend to have smaller clutch sizes than short lived species. (See also r/K selection theory) The evolution of optimal clutch size is also driven by other factors such as Parent-offspring conflict.

Clutch size recorded in ornithological field notes may or may not include lost or broken eggs.

[edit] References

  1. ^ Lack (1947)

[edit] References

  • Lack, David (1947): The significance of clutch-size (part I-II). Ibis 89: 302-352.


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