Big-bang reproduction is favored under which condition?

• A. High offspring survival
• B. High parental investment
• C. Long generation time
• D. Low rates of offspring survival

Answer: (C)

Big-bang reproduction, or semelparity, describes a life-history strategy where an organism reproduces once and then typically dies, investing a large effort into a single reproductive event. This approach is favored when the window for future reproduction is limited, such as when reaching reproductive maturity takes a long time and the chance of surviving to multiple future breeding opportunities is uncertain. In species with long generation times, postponing reproduction until after substantial growth and resource accumulation can pay off, because there may be only a few chances to reproduce in a lifetime. Putting everything into one massive brood maximizes genetic contribution when future reproductive opportunities are scarce or risky, making a single, large reproductive burst advantageous.