The Ecology of Reproduction

Abstract

Reproducing and passing on copies of its genes to the next generation is biologically the most important act of an animal’s life. Surviving to carry out that act and to execute it in the most efficient way is the ultimate goal of the animal’s morphological, physiological and behavioural design. When we look at how organisms reproduce, however, we notice that most of them reproduce sexually and that many of their most conspicuous features and activities are directly geared to the sexual act. This is actually a surprising observation. Although the widespread distribution of sexual reproduction is more or less taken for granted, it represents a unique paradox for the evolutionary theorist because, on evolutionary grounds, it is the mode of reproduction we would least expect. While a full discussion of the costs and benefits of sexual versus asexual modes of reproduction is outside the scope of this book, the main points are summarised in Table 8.1 and Figure 8.1.