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In humans, the focus has often been on the negative side of these early life experiences, however, in animals, these early life effects and the resulting intergenerational effects could actually be beneficial. If the early life can elicit changes in the animal, or in its offspring, so that it is adapted to that environment, it will increase the fitness.
Intergenerational effects owing to the early life of the first generation have rarely been assessed in an ecological context, especially in animals. A further complication in sexually reproducing animals is that intergenerational effects could occur both through the mother’s side and through the father’s side.  

The research performed in a common rodent (bank vole, Myodes glareolus) proves that the early life of a mother can prepare her offspring to an environment, thereby increasing their fitness, even if the offspring have never experienced that environment themselves.
Likewise, fathers can transmit information of their early life environment to their offspring and affect their fitness.

“This is surprising, as the fathers in our study species do not even see their offspring. Moreover, mothers can have offspring of multiple fathers in one litter. Hence, the fathers’ intergenerational effects are most likely transmitted epigenetically”, says van Cann.

The research also found that early life protein restriction can elicit changes to the DNA of bank voles. This is not an epigenetic mechanism, but real and significant changes to the genome in the form of reduced copy numbers of the genes coding for ribosomes. This is interesting, as copy number variation of rDNA has been linked to cancer progression, aging and autism in humans.
Overall the research shows that the environment an organism grows up in can permanently change its genome, and effects of the environment can span generations.

The dissertation is published in JYU dissertations series, 119, Ģ��ֱ��,  2019. ISBN 978-951-39-7834-1 (PDF) URN:ISBN:978-951-39-7834-1 ISSN 2489-9003 Link to publication:

M.Sc. Joannes Van Cann defends his doctoral dissertation in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology "Intergenerational responses to a changing environment: maternal and paternal early life shape fitness components in the bank vole (Myodes glareolus)" on Saturday 28 th of September 2019 at 12 o’clock at the Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Ambitioca hall YAA303 (Ylistönrinne, Survontie 9). Opponent Professor is Michael Sheriff from University of Massachusetts, USA, and Custos is Docent Esa Koskela from Ģ��ֱ��. The doctoral dissertation is held in English.

More information:
M.Sc Joannes van Cann, joannes.j.vancann@jyu.fi
Communications officer Tanja Heikkinen, tanja.s.heikkinen@jyu.fi, tel +358 50 581 8351
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