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The evolutionary link to our survival and reproduction is a fundamental concept in evolutionary biology. According to Darwin’s theory of natural selection, organisms with heritable traits that favor survival and reproduction tend to leave more offspring than their peers, causing the traits to increase in frequency over generations. In other words, the traits that help an organism survive and reproduce are passed on to the next generation, while those that don’t are lost. This process of natural selection is the driving force behind evolution.
To explain the remarkable diversity of life histories among species, we must understand how evolution shapes organisms to optimize their reproductive success. Life history theory seeks to explain how natural selection and other evolutionary forces shape organisms to optimize their survival and reproduction in the face of ecological challenges posed by the environment. Life history traits such as size at birth, growth pattern, age and size at maturity, number, size, and sex of offspring, age-, stage- or size-specific reproductive effort, age-, stage- or size-specific rates of survival, and lifespan are the major components of fitness. Together, these traits define an organism’s life cycle or life history.
In summary, the evolutionary link to our survival and reproduction is a complex interplay between natural selection and life history traits that shape organisms to optimize their reproductive success in response to ecological challenges posed by the environment.
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