Covariation of Life History Traits in the Mosquitofish, Gambusia affinis

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Abstract
Implicit in much of life history theory is the idea that relationships among the traits are important. The nature of the relationships among life history traits will define the ability of the life history to change. To examine these relationships principal component analysis was applied to life history variation among populations of the mosquitofish, G. affinis. Covariation of the traits does not follow the pattern expected if the life history were responding as a single, coadapted unit. The use of fixed relationships between traits to define life history changes is not justified. There are differences among traits in their character loadings which suggest differences in the degree to which traits vary independently. The quantitative summary of the relationships of the life history traits provided by principal component analysis defines the contributions of individual traits to changes of the life history as a whole. This provides a direct approach to understanding life history variation and evolution.

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