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Life History quiz #2 Flashcards

Life History quiz #2
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  • Which of the following are life history patterns exhibited by organisms: semelparity, iteroparity, or both?
    Both semelparity and iteroparity are life history patterns exhibited by organisms.
  • Why is there a trade-off between survivorship and fecundity in organisms?
    There is a trade-off because organisms with high survivorship tend to have low fecundity and vice versa, due to limited energy and resources.
  • A species displaying which of the survivorship curves is likely to produce the most offspring: Type I, Type II, or Type III?
    A species displaying a Type III survivorship curve is likely to produce the most offspring.
  • How do survivorship curves show three types of reproductive strategies?
    Survivorship curves illustrate different reproductive strategies by showing the proportion of individuals surviving at each age, which correlates with fecundity and lifespan.
  • What is the main characteristic of semelparity in reproductive strategies?
    Semelparity is characterized by a single, massive reproductive event after which the organism typically dies.
  • What does iteroparity mean in terms of reproductive events?
    Iteroparity means having multiple reproductive events throughout an organism's lifetime.
  • How does fecundity differ between semelparity and iteroparity?
    Semelparity involves producing many offspring in one event, while iteroparity involves fewer offspring over multiple events.
  • What is the relationship between lifespan and survivorship in organisms?
    High survivorship is often associated with longer lifespans, while low survivorship is often linked to shorter lifespans.
  • What is the significance of energy allocation in life history strategies?
    Energy allocation is crucial as it determines the trade-offs between growth, survivorship, and fecundity in an organism's life history.
  • What is the difference between seasonal and continuous iteroparity?
    Seasonal iteroparity involves reproduction during specific seasons, while continuous iteroparity allows reproduction at any time.
  • What is meant by 'life history' in the context of biology?
    Life history refers to the strategic allocation of limited energy, resources, and time by organisms, impacting traits such as survivorship, fecundity, and growth throughout their lifetime.
  • What does fecundity measure in an organism's life history?
    Fecundity measures an organism's reproductive capacity, often expressed as the average number of viable offspring produced per reproductive event or over a lifetime.
  • Give an example of an organism with high fecundity and low survivorship, and explain why.
    Fruit flies have high fecundity, producing hundreds of offspring, but only a small fraction survive to adulthood, demonstrating low survivorship.
  • What is semelparity, and which type of organism typically exhibits this strategy?
    Semelparity is a reproductive strategy where an organism has a single, massive reproductive event before dying, as seen in the century plant.
  • Why are organisms with both high survivorship and high fecundity rare?
    Because energy and resources are limited, most organisms must trade off between survivorship and fecundity, making it rare to have both traits at high levels.