Study Questions Chapter 8 - Reproduction and Life Histories of Amphibians

1. Describe the trade-off between the number versus size of offspring. Include graphs relating the life history traits (clutch size, egg mass) and the fitness of the female parent and another graph relating life history traits with fitness of her progeny.
2. Describe the trade-off involving costs of reproduction. Include graphs relating the life history traits (clutch size) and the fitness of female parent to characterize the trade-off involving costs of reproduction.
3. Of the 4 sampling schemes (haphazard, quadrat {randomized design or repeated}, depletionary, or longitudinal study of individuals) which can be used to address questions of life history trade-offs? Make sure you include arguments against those three schemes which are inappropriate.
4. Outline the endocrine control of amphibian metamorphosis. Where in this cascade might mutations lead to the evolution of paedomorphosis?
5. Graph the developmental transitions involved in the evolution of paedomorphic Ambystoma mexicanum from the evolution of the ancestral Ambystoma tigrinum On the y-axis include head shape. On the x-axis include age. Draw a cladogram indicating the evolutionary transitions.