Abstract
It is clear that animals, by making available different options to the co-evolving environment, increase their chances of survival. Contrary to the earlier teachings, ontogeny and evolution do not result in the reduction of uncertainty and complexity but in the constant introduction of variation during the course of the development of natural systems (e.g. Balon 1985, 1989). In less predictable environments the range of options and the number of compromises that have to be reached is greater than in a more predictable environment (Bruton 1989b). It is also clear that, rather than regarding animals as predictors of the sharply defined needs of future environments, they should be regarded as scenario-choosers in the sense that they offer a range of options to a constantly changing and co-evolving environment.
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Bruton, M.N. (1990). The conservation of alternative life-history styles: a conclusion to the second ALHS volume. In: Bruton, M.N. (eds) Alternative life-history styles of fishes. Developments in environmental biology of fishes, vol 10. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-2065-1_20
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-2065-1_20
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