Chapter 7 Flashcards
What is life history?
The schedule of an organism’s growth, development, reproduction, and survival.
What does parity refer to?
The number of reproductive episodes that an organism experiences.
What is fecundity?
The number of offspring produced by an organism per reproductive episode.
What is parental investment?
The amount of time and energy given to an offspring by its parents.
What does longevity mean?
The life span of an organism; also known as life expectancy.
What is the principle of allocation?
The observation that when resources are devoted to one body structure, physiological function, or behavior, they cannot be allotted to another.
What is determinate growth?
A growth pattern in which an individual does not grow any more once it initiates reproduction.
What is indeterminate growth?
A growth pattern in which an individual continues to grow after initiating reproduction.
What is semelparity?
When organisms reproduce only once during their life.
What is iteroparity?
When organisms reproduce multiple times during their life.
What is an annual organism?
An organism that has a one-year life span.
What is a perennial organism?
An organism that has a life span of more than one year.
What is senescence?
A gradual decrease in fecundity and an increase in the probability of mortality.
What is photoperiod?
The amount of light that occurs each day.
