Comparing Life Histories across Taxonomic Groups in Multiple Dimensions: How Mammal-Like Are Insects?

Explaining variation in life histories remains a major challenge because they are multidimensional and there are many competing explanatory theories and paradigms. An influential concept in life-history theory is the fast-slow continuum, exemplified by mammals. Determining the utility of such concepts across taxonomic groups requires comparison of the groups' life histories in multidimensional space.