title: The relationship between lifespan and reproduction in the grasshopper Melanoplus.
abstract: An experiment was conducted to examine the relationship between reproduction and longevity in an annual iteroparous species of grasshopper, Melanoplus sanguinipes. Two hypotheses derived from life history theory were tested. These included: 1) virgin females produce fewer eggs and live longer than mated females, and 2) the rate of egg production and longevity are negatively related. The results of this study indicated that there is no trade-off between reproduction and longevity in this species of grasshopper. It is suggested that other factors, such as male-female interactions, may be more important in affecting female survival than reproduction.
authors.affiliation: Program in Evolutionary, Ecology and Behavior, Department of Zoology, University of Iowa, 52242, Iowa City, Iowa, USA.
authors.forename: John M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Dean