Chapter 7: Life Histories Flashcards
(13 cards)
Life History
The schedule of an organism’s growth, development, reproduction, and survival
Fecundity
The number of offspring produced by an organism per reproductive episode
Parity
The number of reproductive episodes that an organism experiences
Parental Investment
The amount of time and energy given to an offspring by its parents
Longevity
The life span of an organism; also known as life expectancy
Principle of allocation
the observation that when resources are devoted to one body structure, physiological function, or behavior, they cannot be allotted to another
Determinate growth
A growth pattern in which an individual does not grow anymore once it initiates reproduction
Indeterminate Growth
a growth pattern in which an individual continues to grow after initiating reproduction
Semelparity
when organisms reproduce only once during their life
Iteroparity
when organisms reproduce multiple times during their life
Annual
An organism that has a one-year lifespan
Perennial
an organism that has a life span of more than one year
Senescence
A gradual decrease in fecundity and an increase in the probability of mortality
