Life history evolution, reproduction, and the origins of sex‐dependent aging and longevity

Abstract

Males and females in many species differ in how they age and how long they live. These differences have motivated much research, concerning both their evolution and the underlying mechanisms that cause them. We review how differences in male and female life histories have evolved to shape patterns of aging and some of the mechanisms and pathways involved. We pay particular attention to three areas where considerable potential for synergy between mechanistic and evolutionary research exists: (1) the role of estrogens, androgens, the growth hormone/insulin-like growth factor 1 pathway, and the mechanistic target of rapamycin signaling pathway in sex-dependent growth and reproduction; (2) sexual conflict over mating rate and fertility, and how mate presence or mating can become an avenue for males and females to directly affect each other's life span; and (3) the link between dietary restriction and aging, and the emerging understanding that only the restriction of certain nutrients is involved and that this is linked to reproduction. We suggest that ideas about life histories, sex-dependent selection, and sexual conflict can inform and be informed by the ever more refined and complex understanding of the mechanisms that cause aging.

Sex differences in life history, behavior, and physiology along a slow-fast continuum: a meta-analysis

“…Indeed, we found that males of polygynous mating systems showed a faster POL than females, as predicted, presumably because sexual and/or natural selection is stronger on males in polygynous species (Greenwood 1980; Wingfield et al 1990; Clutton-Brock and Isvaran 2007; Brooks and Garratt 2017). On the other hand, social monogamy, often entailing biparental care, is thought to reduce the level of antagonistic selection and conflict between the sexes, leading to more similar life-history optima (Klug et al 2013).…”

Age at mating and male quality influence female patterns of reproductive investment and survival

“…Here, we find that in addition to being important for mate choice, male size also has a role in sexual conflict. Sexual conflict is an important factor in shaping life history trade‐offs (Brooks & Garratt, ; Chapman, ; Chapman, Arnqvist, Bangham, & Rowe, ; Johnstone & Keller, ), and here, we found that male size had a significant impact on female reproductive and somatic allocation patterns. Females mating with smaller, presumably nonpreferred, males had decreased postmating and total lifespans and increased egg‐laying rates irrespective of female age at first mating.…”

The Williams' legacy: A critical reappraisal of his nine predictions about the evolution of senescence

“…) but also because sex‐differences in health status has now become an issue of first importance (Morrow ). It is thus not surprising to observe that this topic has been extensively reviewed in the past few years (Austad ; Maklakov and Lummaa ; Regan and Partridge ; Austad and Fischer ; Brooks and Garratt ). It is beyond the scope of this article to review all the hypotheses that have been proposed to explain the now well‐recognized sex‐differences in longevity and actuarial senescence.…”