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Bernard J. Le Bœuf, PhD
Professor Emeritus in Biology and Institute of Marine Studies,
University of California, Santa Cruz
Reproduction is fundamental for all life. Lives are designed by natural selection to create more life. Therefore, it is important to determine how this is accomplished. It is vital to understand how individuals maximize their lifetime reproductive success, their Darwinian fitness. Individual differences in fitness impact the gene pool of the next generation and the evolution of the species. I have always been fascinated by the reproductive process and it is central to all the research that my students, collaborators, and I have conducted over the years.
New Release
The Quest for Darwinian Fitness: Case Studies of Elephant Seals is a long-term study of the lifetime reproductive success of individuals, a practical approach to determining biological fitness. This case study is based on an animal that has been studied intensively. The aim of this chronicle is to facilitate the future long-term of other animals.