Semelparity and iteroparity

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Semelparity and iteroparity are two reproductive strategies available to living organisms. A species is semelparous if it is characterized by a single reproductive episode before death, and iteroparous if it is characterized by multiple reproductive cycles. Iteroparity can be further divided into continuous iteroparity (e.g., primates, including humans and chimpanzees) and seasonal iteroparity (e.g. birds, dogs, etc.). Some botanists use the parallel terms monocarpy and polycarpy.

In truly semelparous species, death after reproduction is part of an overall strategy that includes putting all available resources into maximizing reproduction, at the expense of future life (see ยง Trade-offs). In any iteroparous population there will be some individuals who happen to die after their first and before any second reproductive episode, but unless this is part of a syndrome of programmed death after reproduction, this would not be called "semelparity".

This distinction is also related to the difference between annual and perennial plants: An annual is a plant that completes its life cycle in a single season, and is usually semelparous. Perennials live for more than one season and are usually (but not always) iteroparous.

Semelparity and iteroparity are not, strictly speaking, alternative strategies, but end points along a continuum of possible modes of reproduction, although such intermediates are rare. Many organisms considered to be semelparous can, under certain conditions, survive their first bout of reproduction to reproduce two or more times.

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