The timing of when to gain sexual maturity and begin breeding is a tricky one. I

Question

The timing of when to gain sexual maturity and begin breeding is a tricky one.  Imagine a bird species that ordinarily gained sexual maturity in its second year, and would lay 2 eggs each year for 3 years, before dying. Now imagine there was a simple mutation that allowed the birds to lay 4 eggs during year 2. While it seems like this would be a great fitness advantage, it might actually be quite costly. Why might it be maladaptive (i.e., non-adaptive) for a female to lay 4 eggs in year 2? What effect might it have on her long-term fitness? Think about average reproductive success at each age and how that might vary depending on reproductive effort in year 2. (4 points)

Explanation / Answer

The bird after gaining the sexual maturity at the age of 2 year produces 6 eggs on an average before dying, in a duration of 3 years. When bird lays 4 eggs immediately after gaining sexual maturity at the age of 2 years, that will affect the overall fitness of the bird.

It might be a possibility that the bird would not be able to lay any egg in the future as an energy cost for the production of four eggs at a time. Additionally the offsprings produce by this higher rate of egg laying, will not be fit for survival and later will not be able to survive till their reproductive age.

Therefore, the fitness of parent and offspring both will be paid as a cost for such a high reproductive rate.

According to Darwinian fitness, if early maturity and higher reproductive rates are followed, the cost will be survival and fitness of parents and their offsprings hence reproductive success and long term- fitness decreases.

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