14 DAY TRIAL // According to a newly-published scientific study, the behavior that parents exhibit in relation to their offspring is genetically induced. The survey was conducted on burying beetles (Nicrophorus vespilloides), but the research team, based at the Universities of Exeter and Edinburgh, says that the results can be easily translated to mothers and fathers in animal species as well, and also in humans.
The way adults direct their parenting efforts is determined by specific genes, which cause mothers to take more care of their children and surround them with care, while fathers are providers and help the offspring indirectly, by bringing food and offering protection against predators. However, this is only the case in species that share parenthood responsibilities and does not apply in species where the father leaves the family after impregnating the female.
"(...) why should parents specialize? Why don't they share the duties equally? Previous studies suggested that specializing is efficient. But why a particularly specialty for mums and dads? Why not work it out family by family? In this study we examine the genetic influences on parenting for the first time, and ask if different parenting styles are inherited," explained University of Exeter professor Allen Moore, the lead author of the current study.
To better study the interactions inside the burying beetle families, scientists parted them and left "baby" beetles with just one parent. An interesting find showed that fathers tended to provide indirect care, while mothers focused on being there for the little ones. The scientists also noticed that parents "trimmed" the size of their families, by culling unwanted offspring, until they got the desired number of babies.
Moore added, "We were somewhat surprised by our results. Males and females share the same genome so these differences in genetic influences between the [genders] had to evolve from the default of no differences between the [genders]. […] But the evolution of this specialization also helps reduce conflicts between the parents and form an efficient family unit, reinforcing the genetic differences between the [genders]."