title: Performance constraints in decathletes.
abstract: Physical performance by vertebrates is thought to be constrained by trade-offs between antagonistic pairs of ecologically relevant traits and between conflicting specialist and generalist phenotypes, but there is surprisingly little evidence to support this reasoning. Here we analyse the performance of world-class athletes in standardized decathlon events and find that it is subject to both types of trade-off, after correction has been made for differences between athletes in general ability across all 10 events. These trade-offs may have imposed important constraints on the evolution of physical performance in humans and other vertebrates.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium.
authors.forename: Raoul
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Van Damme
authors.forename: Robbie S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.forename: Bieke
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Vanhooydonck
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Aerts
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005075:Biological Evolution; D006801:Humans; D008954:Models, Biological; D010807:Physical Endurance / Q000502:physiology; D010809:Physical Fitness / Q000502:physiology*; D012420:Running; D012641:Selection, Genetic; D014142:Track and Field