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  • Research Article
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State-dependent life histories

Nature volume 380, pages 215–221 (1996)Cite this article

Abstract

Life-history theory is concerned with strategic decisions over an organism's lifetime. Evidence is accumulating about the way in which these decisions depend on the organism's physiological state and other components such as external circumstances. Phenotypic plasticity may be interpreted as an organism's response to its state. The quality of offspring may depend on the state and behaviour of the mother. Recent theoretical advances allow these and other state-dependent effects to be modeled within the same framework.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Mathematics, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 1TW, UK

    John M. McNamara

  2. School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 1UG, UK

    Alasdair I. Houston

Authors
  1. John M. McNamara
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  2. Alasdair I. Houston
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McNamara, J., Houston, A. State-dependent life histories. Nature 380, 215–221 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1038/380215a0

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