1. Life expectancies differ across populations. Life expectancy at birth in the U.S. is currently around 78 years (76 for males; 81 for females). Consider a population in which life expectancy at birth is 50. Given what you know about life history theory, discuss how this population would differ from the U.S. across the following life history characteristics: age at first marriage, age at first reproduction, total fertility (number of children born per female), length of time spent in school, and money spent on education. Be sure to support your predictions using life history theory.

2. The following data on interbirth interval (time between births), child survivorship, and percent of children married were collected to evaluate reproductive decisions within a population. Assuming a woman of this population has a 20-year reproductive span (maximum time available from first to last birth), use these data to 1) calculate the maximum number of live births a woman could have, and 2) determine the number of births that will lead to the highest fitness (surviving children who marry) if we assume that all married children will have the same number of offspring. To receive credit, you must show your work. Lastly, what are the implications of your results?

% child %

IBI (months) Survivorship ever married

12	0.6	0.4
15	0.64	0.47
18	0.68	0.54
21	0.72	0.61
24	0.76	0.68
27	0.8	0.75
30	0.84	0.82
33	0.88	0.89
36	0.88	0.96
39	0.89	0.96
42	0.9	0.96
45	0.91	0.96
48	0.92	0.96
51	0.93	0.96
54	0.94	0.96
57	0.95	0.96
60	0.96	0.96

One variable that we have observed in this course is that peopleâs concerns for the future are relative to their own social and economic security. A secure middle-class can afford to protect their grand-childrenâs interests, while economically insecure people are largely preoccupied with their own day-to-day survival. At least one economist has noted that because the interests of business are always short-term, they are better served by an economically insecure population which has a similar focus. In effect, the best way to avoid environmental restrictions is to keep people economically insecure. The classic example of this is the practice of mountaintop-removal mining in the Appalachian Mountains of the American southeast. The United States has the highest levels of poverty of any industrialized nation, by far. It also affords business interests an unprecedented degree of participation in our political system. If their interests are best served by an economically insecure population, they would have a legal responsibility to their owners (or stockholders) to work toward perpetuating those conditions. If your goal is to convince people to let you do mountaintop-removal mining, you want people just as poor and as desperate as they can be. You invest your money in political representatives whoâs actions (or lack thereof) will complement your interests. Give your thoughts on this arrangement. If you find it lacking in some respect (e.g. ethics, morality), suggest a remedy for this conflict.

HLTA02H3 Lecture : Lecture 2

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