Abstract
Life-history theory predicts that pollutants can be selective agents which mould life-history patterns. Pollution-mediated decreased adult survival and reproductive success was expected to induce earlier maturation and an increased reproductive allocation per clutch. Divergence of life-history patterns in relation the metal exposure was studied in reference and metal-tolerant natural populations of the springtail species Orchesella cincta. Mortality, growth and reproduction were analysed in laboratory generation animals originating from six sites. The dose-effect relationship for mortality was similar for all populations, except for the control and the lowest exposure concentration. For animals from highly polluted sites, control mortality was higher than mortality in the low exposed group
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