Centre for Research in Animal Behaviour, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK.
Centre for Research in Animal Behaviour, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK.
Trends Ecol Evol. 2015 Jul;30(7):407-16. doi: 10.1016/j.tree.2015.04.011. Epub 2015 May 14.
Why females of some species cease ovulation before the end of their natural lifespan is a longstanding evolutionary puzzle. For many species in captivity, post-reproductive life is simply an epiphenomenon of lengthened lifespan. Yet in natural populations of humans as well as some cetaceans and insects, reproductive senescence occurs much faster than somatic aging and females exhibit prolonged post-reproductive lifespans (PRLSs). Determining the mechanisms and functions that underpin PRLSs has proved a significant challenge. Here we bring together both classic and modern hypotheses proposed to explain PRLSs and discuss their application to both human and nonhuman animals. By taking an integrative and broad taxonomic approach we highlight the need to consider multiple interacting explanations for the evolution of PRLSs.
为什么一些物种的雌性在其自然寿命结束前停止排卵是一个长期存在的进化难题。对于许多圈养物种来说，生殖后生命只是寿命延长的一种表现。然而，在人类和一些鲸目动物和昆虫的自然种群中，生殖衰老的速度远远快于身体衰老，并且雌性表现出延长的生殖后寿命（PRLS）。确定支持 PRLS 的机制和功能一直是一个重大挑战。在这里，我们汇集了经典和现代的假说来解释 PRLS，并讨论它们在人类和非人类动物中的应用。通过采用综合和广泛的分类学方法，我们强调需要考虑多个相互作用的解释来解释 PRLS 的进化。
