The evolution of growth trajectories: what limits growth rate?

• Published in: Biological reviews of the Cambridge Philosophical Society Vol. 86; no. 1; pp. 97 - 116
• Main Author: Dmitriew, Caitlin M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.02.2011
• Subjects: Anatomy & physiology; Animal reproduction; Animals; Biological Evolution; Body size; compensatory growth; condition; Eating; Ecology; Energy Metabolism; Environment; Food Chain; Growth; Growth rate; Life Cycle Stages; Life history; life-history evolution; Models, Biological; physiology; Predation; Predators; Resource allocation; Taxonomy; time constraints; trade-offs

According to life‐history theory, growth rates are subject to strong directional selection due to reproductive and survival advantages associated with large adult body size. Yet, growth is commonly observed to occur at rates lower than the maximum that is physiologically possible and intrinsic growt...