Summary
In this study the inverse relationship between the amount of reproduction in female carabid beetles and their survival until the next breeding season, suggested by Murdoch (1966), was examined in Pterostichus coerulescens L. and Calathus melanocephalus L.
This was tested with individual and differently reproducing females, kept at the same temperature, as well as with groups of females kept at different temperatures, i.e. with very different overall levels of reproduction.
No relationship was found between the numbers of eggs laid by individual females and their survival until the next breeding season.
The numbers of eggs laid by individual females varies greatly, even under constant and optimal conditions,. In contrast to this, an individual female continues to lay a characteristic number of eggs over several succeeding weeks. The amount of reproduction is highly correlated with temperature when food is optimal. In P. coerulescens there was a positive correlation between the amount of reproduction of the same individuals in two succeeding years, whereas in C. melanocephalus no relationship could be found.
Both in the field and in our experiments individuals of P. coerulescens generally live for 3 to 4 years, longer than C. melanocephalus which usually only lives for 2 years. The 3–4 year-old individuals of P. coerulescens die during the breeding season or shortly afterwards, but also during the winter, whereas the 2–3 year-old individuals of C. melanocephalus die during the winter. Males and females show a similar mortality after breeding. The level of reproduction of a population depends on the proportion of old beetles, since especially the very old ones die before the end of the breeding season.
We reject the hypothesis of Murdoch because of these data. However, in a different way from that of Murdoch, we also suggest that old beetles are of great importance for the survival of a population, namely that this form of heterogeneity of a population may enhance its stability under varying environmental conditions.
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Communication No. 204 of the Biological Station, Wijster
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van Dijk, T.S. On the relationship between reproduction, age and survival in two carbid beetles:. Oecologia 40, 63–80 (1979). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00388811
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00388811