The Fast-Slow Continuum Of Life History
The “fast-slow” continuum of mammalian life histories is dependent on body size, and goes from small body size mammals with “fast” lives, to large body size mammals with slow life histories. The former have higher mortality rates and reproduce earlier, the last have a low adult mortality rate (and longer life expectancies) so they can afford to grow more before reproduction, that occurs later in life (Charnov & Berrigan 1993)