Males and females of nearly all animals differ in their body size, a phenomenon called
sexual size dimorphism (SSD). The degree and direction of SSD vary considerably among …

In arthropods, the evolution of sexual size dimorphism (SSD) may be constrained by a
physiological limit on growth within each particular larval instar. A high SSD could, however …

We present a new probabilistic concept of reaction norms for age and size at maturation that
is applicable when observations are carried out at discrete time intervals. This approach can …

The number of larval instars varies widely across insect species. Although instar number is
frequently considered to be invariable within species, intraspecific variability in the number …

Examines evidence for the slow-growth, high-mortality hypothesis explaining plants'
herbivory defense traits by assessing previously published literature where the level of …

Phenological synchrony between budburst and emergence of larvae is critical for the fitness
of many spring-feeding insect herbivores. Therefore, large intraspecific variation in timing of …

Creating multiyear cycles in population density demands, in traditional models, causal
factors that operate on local populations in a density‐dependent way with time lags …

Strong correlation between female body size and potential fecundity is often observed in
insects. Directional selection favouring increased body sizes is thus predicted in the …

Assumptions about mortality rates form a cornerstone for models of life-history evolution.
When seeking adaptive explanations for body sizes, the size dependence of predation risk …

Body size is positively correlated with fecundity in various animals, but the factors that
counterbalance the resulting selection pressure towards large size are difficult to establish …