Telomeres in ecology and evolution: Hypotheses and connections between telomere length, infections and life history trade-offs
Studying life history strategies is crucial for understanding the diversity among organisms. The trade-offs in traits related to survival, self-maintenance and reproduction play an important role in the variation of life histories and can be adjusted in response to environmental and physiological factors. Telomeres, which are repetitive DNA sequences found at the ends of chromosomes, can serve as