= Life history theory
<Life history theory> explains how <natural selection> shapes the timing and allocation of growth, survival and <reproduction>. Age at maturity, offspring number and investment per offspring affect lifetime <reproductive success>, but cannot generally be improved independently because resources and time are limited.
A <life-history trade-off> is a constraint, rather than simply an observed negative correlation. Individuals acquiring more resources can both reproduce more and survive better, masking an underlying cost of allocation. An experiment that changes reproductive effort while measuring later survival or fecundity addresses the cost more directly than comparing naturally different individuals.
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