Abstract
The cost of reproduction is a central paradigm of life history theory. It states that high investment in current reproduction reduces survival or future fecundity. Reproduction is a demanding phase of animals’ lives, since they must produce, and, in species with parental care, protect and provision, their young. In sexually reproducing species, considerable resources are also invested in mate choice strategies, which combine to shape the cost of reproduction. We currently know very little about how costs of reproduction are actually incurred, since the majority of studies have focussed on the ultimate outcomes rather than the proximate mechanisms. It has been suggested that oxidative stress may be one key cellular mechanism underlying the costs of reproduction. This chapter examines how the need to manage oxidative stress has possibly influenced the evolution of reproductive strategies, from the tactics adopted to find a suitable mate to how much effort parents put in offspring rearing. This chapter also discusses the possible prominent role of hormesis in determining the extent to which (1) reproductive activity may be stressful or not and (2) mild stress may stimulate reproductive performance.
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