Evolutionary Ecology
 | Evolutionary context of reproductive schedules | |
Perenniality, iteroparity, and fitness
Many organisms live long enough to have many chances to reproduce. The
different reproductive schedules that organisms can exhibit, whether across
species or individuals of the same species, likely have evolutionary
consequences. Consider the following different life histories that may be
exhibited in a single population:
Many organisms live long enough to have many chances to reproduce. The
different reproductive schedules that organisms can exhibit, whether across
species or individuals of the same species, likely have evolutionary
consequences. Consider the following different life histories that may be
exhibited in a single population:
In a landmark paper, Lamont Cole (1954) proposed that living long enough to
reproduce multiple times appeared to be less adaptive than simply putting all of
one's energy into a single reproductive event, at the conclusion of which the
organism would die. A great deal of theory has suggested that Cole's model was
too simple, and doesn't account for the complexity of the real world. In particular, it
doesn't allow for variable environments, which can be good for the organism in
some years, bad in others, and downright catastrophic in others. We set out to test
the advantages of iteroparity experimentally in an in situ experiment headed by Dr.
Deborah Roach (University of Virginia) using the model plant, Plantago lanceolata.
reproduce multiple times appeared to be less adaptive than simply putting all of
one's energy into a single reproductive event, at the conclusion of which the
organism would die. A great deal of theory has suggested that Cole's model was
too simple, and doesn't account for the complexity of the real world. In particular, it
doesn't allow for variable environments, which can be good for the organism in
some years, bad in others, and downright catastrophic in others. We set out to test
the advantages of iteroparity experimentally in an in situ experiment headed by Dr.
Deborah Roach (University of Virginia) using the model plant, Plantago lanceolata.
Copyright 2010 Richard P. Shefferson. All rights reserved.
Research Interests
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
