Frequency of reproduction
Terms used to describe the frequency of reproduction.
| Trait | Definition |
|---|---|
| Semelparous or monotely | Breeding once per lifetime, or breeding only once then dying (Barnes et al., 2001). Organisms that only have one brood during their lifetime (Lincoln et al., 1998). |
| Iteroparus or polytely | 1) Breeding several times per lifetime. 2) Organisms that have repeated reproductive cycles (Lincoln et al., 1998). |
| Annual episodic | Breeds every year but in one or more discrete periods initiated by some trigger (for example a lunar cycle). |
| Annual protracted | Breeds every year over an extended or drawn out period. |
| <Biannual | Breeds less frequently than every two years. |
| Biannual episodic | Breeds every second year but in one or more discrete periods initiated by some trigger (for example a lunar cycle). |
| Biannual protracted | Breeds once every two years over an extended or drawn out period. |
| Univoltine | One generation per year, annuals (Barnes et al., 2001). |
| Multivoltine | Many generations per year (Barnes et al., 2001). |
| Bivoltine | Two generations per year (Barnes et al., 2001). |
| Semivoltine | One generation every two years (Barnes et al., 2001). |
References
- Barnes, R.S.K., Calow, P.P., Olive, P., Golding, D.W. & Spicer, J.I., 2001. The invertebrates: a synthesis. Oxford, UK: Blackwell Publishing.
- Lincoln, R., Boxshall, G., & Clark, P., 1998. A Dictionary of Ecology, Evolution and Systematics (2nd ed.). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
