Post-Reproductive Life Span

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The article states that the only organisms known to undergo menopause and maintain a long post-reproductive life span are female humans, resident killer whales, and short-finned pilot whales. These organisms have shown to provide many benefits to their groups that explain their long lifespan. They provide leadership, responsiveness, and knowledge that aid in survival, particularly in times of great need. Many organisms are similarly beneficial to their groups, but they do not undergo menopause. The reason these three organisms do appears to be attributed to an altruistic motive. Humans, resident killer whales, and short-finned pilot whales tend to remain in a family group, so the post-reproductive females would be highly motivated to be beneficial to the survival of their kin. Where other animals, for example the African elephant, divide off and form new groups, the organisms that …show more content…
They cannot genetically contribute to future generations and they may not be physically able to defend from potential dangers. Therefore, the question is, why would a population support an individual that does not provide a benefit to their communal survival. The answer is the population would not, so the post-reproductive individual must provide some sort of benefit. An explanation is needed to understand why only some organisms under go menopause, and what benefits these organisms proved for their populations.
Post-reproductive organisms retain inclusive fitness by providing benefits to their populations. According to the data, the post-reproductive female resident killer whale provides leadership during times of environmental hardships, such as when salmon abundance is low. Using her ecological knowledge, the female leads group movement to areas where she knows the fish are more likely to be based on past

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