Question

Life histories are often organized along a slow-fast continuum. Contrast the life histories of organisms at the slow end of the continuum with the lifr histories organisms at fast end.

Give an example of a species with a slow life-history, and hypothesize the abiotic or biotic conditions that cause this life history

Answer 1

Slow continuum of life history	Fast continuum of life history
Growth rate is very slow with long lifesapan	Growth rate is very fast with short lifesapan
Sexual maturtion will happen later stage with delayed reproduction	Sexual maturtion will happen in early stage of life with rapid reproduction
Less number of offsprings, but high parenting efforts	Huge number offsprings will be produced, but low parenting efforts.
Frequency of mating is very less	Frequency of mating is more

One of the example with slow continuum of life history is Bats. Bats are small mammals with longer life span. The major abiotic and biotic factors were discussed below. One major factor which help them to live longer is their life style (arboreal or cave-dwelling), which help them to avoid the eyes of the predators. Mortality rate is very less is another reason for their slow continuum. Their ability to echolocate and the nocturnal habitat also helped them to increase the life span. Examples of species in bats are Desmodus rotundus; Carollia perspicillata; Myotis sp.; Glossophaga soricina; Chrotopterus auritus.