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Cost Of Reproduction Hypothesis
In life history theory, the cost of reproduction hypothesis is the idea that reproduction is costly in terms of future survival and reproduction. This is mediated by various mechanisms, with the two most prominent being hormonal regulation and differential allocation of internal resources. Definition and predictions The cost of reproduction hypothesis posits that reproduction (and increased reproductive effort) is costly in terms of future survival and reproduction. These costs may be exacerbated in certain organisms, such as first--time breeders. Along with the idea that organisms are selected to maximize lifetime reproductive success, this hypothesis results in a trade-off between current reproduction and future fitness that is pivotal in life history theory. This trade-off can be analyzed on three levels: the genetic (which analyzes the genetic basis of covariation between traits), the phenotypic (which assess how traits directly connected to fitness covary), and the intermediat ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Life History Theory
Life history theory is an analytical frameworkVitzthum, V. (2008). Evolutionary models of women's reproductive functioning. ''Annual Review of Anthropology'', ''37'', 53-73 designed to study the diversity of life history strategies used by different organisms throughout the world, as well as the causes and results of the variation in their life cycles.Flatt, T., & Heyland, A. (Eds.). (2011). Mechanisms of Life History Evolution : The Genetics and Physiology of Life History Traits and Trade-Offs. Oxford, GB: OUP Oxford. It is a theory of biological evolution that seeks to explain aspects of organisms' anatomy and behavior by reference to the way that their life histories—including their reproductive development and behaviors, post-reproductive behaviors, and lifespan (length of time alive)—have been shaped by natural selection. A life history strategy is the "age- and stage-specific patterns" and timing of events that make up an organism's life, such as birth, weaning, maturation, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |