Multifaceted parental niche construction buffers microbial and competitive challenges and drives offspring dependence in burying beetles
Eric Grubmüller, Dimitri V. Meier, Melina Kreil, Lynn Schmit, Elena Scharl, Mamoru Takata, Alfons Weig, Sandra Steiger
This study shows that parental care in burying beetles modifies carcass environments to enhance larval survival and reduce competition, promoting offspring dependence on parental modifications.
bioRxiv · May 22, 2026 · PreprintEvolutionary Biology