Laboratory model organisms, such as the lab rat, have demonstrated a clear link between metabolism and aging, and it is well known that the evolution of reproduction and aging can be driven by metabolic factors. Nevertheless, there is little known, from either a theoretical or a mechanistic viewpoint, about how the adoption of specific life history strategies can shape aging and life span in populations facing different energetic demands. For example, in harsh climates, is it better to invest energy into early growth and maturation and, as a consequence, have a short life-span? This symposium will bring together an international group of biogerontologists who work on a variety of vertebrate and invertebrate organisms at different levels of biological organization (molecules to populations) in order to discuss and synthesize studies of life history evolution and its metabolic consequences. The symposium participants include men and women from three different countries and who are at different career stages. It is anticipated that the interaction of these scientists, who study aging from different perspectives, will foster future collaborations.
