Life History
Semelparous
From Latin 'semel' (once) + 'parere' (to beget)
A reproductive strategy where organisms breed only once in their lifetime, typically investing all resources in a single massive reproductive event before dying. Also called 'big bang' reproduction.
Biological Context
Pacific salmon, century plants, and many insects are semelparous. They accumulate resources over their lifetime, convert everything to reproduction, and die. This strategy works when conditions for reproduction are unpredictable or when reproductive success scales strongly with investment.
Business Application
Semelparous business strategy: building toward a single exit event (IPO, acquisition) rather than ongoing returns. All resources concentrated on maximizing that one outcome.