Life History Invariants: Some Explorations of Symmetry in Evolutionary Ecology

by Eric L. Charnov

Overview

In this book, noted biologist Eric Charnov uses ideas about symmetry, invariance, and scaling laws to explain many formerly puzzling regularities in population biology. Aspects of life history evolution and population dynamics are illuminated by his synthesis of symmetry and symmetry-breaking arguments. For example, he develops sex allocation evolution to reveal how symmetry-breaking leads to biased sex ratios, and also demonstrates how the process plays an important role in the evolution of alternative male life histories. A detailed evolutionary theory is developed and tested for the allometric structure of life histories in female mammals. The symmetry perspective is also applied to studies of aging as well as to the study of allometry in population dynamics. This work will attract interest among a wide range of students and researchers in ecology, evolution, behavior, and other fields within organismal biology.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780198540717
Publisher:	Oxford University Press
Publication date:	08/26/1993
Series:	Oxford Series in Ecology and Evolution
Pages:	182
Product dimensions:	6.13(w) x 9.19(h) x 0.43(d)

About the Author

University of Utah

Table of Contents

Introduction: Invariants Imply Deeper Symmetries1. Sex Allocation2. Alternative Life Histories, Mostly about Males3. Indeterminate Growth4. Determinate Growth, Mostly about Mammals5. Population Dynamics6. Senescence (Aging)7. FinisReferencesAuthor IndexSubject Index

Editorial Reviews

"Charnov's approach is daring, and remarkably successful in producing quantitative predictions that fit the comparative data. It is a first-rate contribution to life-history evolution." —Nature

"What is new in Life History Invariants is the perspective of symmetry and invariance. Charnov's approach will be stimulating and provocative to those willing to consider his arguments carefully. . . . well worth the effort." —Robert E. Ricklefs, University of Pennsylvania, Science

"Students of life history evolution and population ecology will find this a stimulating book. It represents an admirable summary of the recent contributions Charnov has made to the field of life history theory....Will be a ‘must-read' for graduate seminars or an advanced graduate course in life history theory....Provides an intriguing introduction into the formulation of new hypotheses regarding life history evolution." —Ecology

From the Publisher