Given a fixed allocation of resources to reproduction, there are still many possible trade-offs between the size and number of offspring produced. Consider seed-producing trees and discuss conditions that might favor production of few, relatively large seeds versus conditions that might favor production of many, relatively small seeds.
Given a fixed allocation of resources to reproduction, there are still many possible trade-offs
between the size and number of offspring produced. Consider seed-producing trees and discuss
conditions that might favor production of few, relatively large seeds versus conditions that might
favor production of many, relatively small seeds.
Answer:
Just like a parent invests in each of their children individually, there is a trade-off between size and population. An organism can have numerous offspring that each represent a relatively little energy investment or few offspring that each represent a relatively big energy investment. Essentially, this is a "number vs quality" debate.
Formally speaking, it can be claimed that fertility typically correlates negatively with the quantity of energy expended per offspring. Fecundity, or the amount of offspring an organism is capable of producing, is its reproductive capacity. An organism is more likely to expend less energy on each offspring the more fecund it is, including parental care and direct resources like fuel reserves deposited in an egg or seed.
A. Organisms that produce a lot of offspring often devote relatively little energy in each and don't normally give their young much parental care. The rationale behind the children being "on their own" is that there will be enough offspring created (even though the chances of any one surviving are slim) that some will survive.
B. Organisms that produce few children typically invest a lot of energy into each child and frequently provide them a lot of parental care. These species are essentially "laying their eggs in one basket" (literally, in some circumstances!) and have a great deal riding on the survival of each offspring.
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