Iteroparous
A reproductive strategy where organisms breed multiple times throughout their lifetime. The opposite of semelparous (breeding once then dying).
Used in the Books
This term appears in 4 chapters:
"The trade-off is total: all remaining energy goes to reproduction, somatic maintenance ends, the organism dies. Other species are iteroparous - reproducing multiple times across a lifespan. But even they face annual trade-offs. A bird sitting on eggs isn't flying around gaining weight."
"...s, same species family: - Pacific salmon (semelparous): Reproduce once, die. 100% allocation to single reproductive event. - Atlantic salmon (iteroparous)**: Reproduce multiple times, survive between events. Balanced allocation across lifetime. Neither is "better." Both work in their respective enviro..."
"...ers once in 40-120 years, then dies), agave (grows for 10-30 years, flowers once, dies), annual plants (grow, flower, die in one season). Others are iteroparous: reproduce many times. Oak trees live 200-300 years, producing acorns annually after reaching maturity (~20 years)."
"... is semelparous reproduction - reproduce once, then die (from Latin semel = once, pario = to beget). But most plants aren't semelparous. Most are iteroparous - they flower repeatedly, year after year (from itero = repeat), balancing growth and reproduction. Oak trees grow for 20-40 years before producin..."
Biological Context
Humans, elephants, and oak trees are iteroparous—they reproduce repeatedly over many years. This strategy spreads reproductive risk across time, allowing organisms to survive bad years and try again. Iteroparous species typically invest more in survival and have longer lifespans.
Business Application
Iteroparous business strategy: building for repeated value extraction over time rather than a single exit. Focus on sustainable competitive advantage and recurring revenue rather than one-time transactions.