Re: Eggs and skill differentials

[Ronald Orenstein <ornstn@inforamp.net>]

>     Possibly birds DID develop a strategy that allowed
>them smaller infant mortality rates, but so what?  Dinosaur and bird
>reproductive strategies were not in direct competition.  If enough
>offspring survived to support the next generation, it makes NO DIFFERENCE
>how many DIDN'T survive.
>
>LN Jeff

Actually, it does, because of the investment required to produce a brood,
which is related to brood size and investment per egg, not on survivorship.
 What I think you meant to say was that an appropriate level of
survivorship to the next generation for a given reproductive output can be
achieved either by producing fewer young with higher survivorship chances,
more young with lower chances or something in between - these strategies
are presumably selectively equivalent and will be appropriate depending on
the nature of the beast we are talking about.
--
Ronald I. Orenstein                           Phone: (905) 820-7886
International Wildlife Coalition              Fax/Modem: (905) 569-0116
1825 Shady Creek Court                 
Mississauga, Ontario, Canada L5L 3W2          mailto:ornstn@inforamp.net