Table 3.

(a) Studies showing a correlation across populations or closely related species between RA or threshold size (or age) and a demographic parameter or plant dimensions. The ecological explanation given by the authors is included. (b) Summary of number of studies showing increase and decrease in RA or timing of reproduction with changes in mortality or resource availability

(a)
Study unit	Species	Observed correlation	Ecological explanation	Reference
Populations	Attalea speciosa	Shadier environment → Larger threshold size	Individuals in lower resource environments must be bigger before they can afford to allocate energy to reproduction.	Barot et al. (2005)
Populations	Drosera intermedia	Higher adult mortality → Higher RA, in some environments	Individuals with fewer years to reproduce must allocate more energy to reproduction.	de Ridder and Dhondt (1992a,b)
Species	4 alpine and subalpine species	Higher elevation (lower resource environment) → Lower RA	Species in lower resource environments can afford to invest less energy in reproduction.	Hemborg and Karlsson (1998)
Species	3 Pinguicula species	Higher adult mortality → Higher RA	Individuals with fewer years to reproduce must allocate more energy to reproduction.	Karlsson et al. 1990; Svensson et al. (1993)
Populations	Verbascum thapsus	Higher mortality → Smaller threshold size	Individuals in environments that become inhospitable more quickly have fewer years to reproduce and must begin reproducing at smaller sizes.	Reinartz (1984)
Populations	Abies mariesii	Higher mortality → Earlier maturation, higher RA	Individuals in environments with greater mortality must begin reproducing earlier and must allocate more energy to reproduction.	Sakai et al. (2003)
Populations	Pinus pinaster	Less favorable environment (PCA of multiple climatic features) → Higher RA, smaller threshold size (with respect to female function)	Individuals in overall unfavorable environments must begin reproducing earlier and must allocate more energy to reproduction.	Santos‐del‐Blanco et al. (2010, 2012)
Populations	Cynoglossum officinale	Lower growth rates, higher mortality → Smaller threshold size	Individuals in overall unfavorable environments must begin reproducing at smaller sizes.	Wesselingh et al. (1997)
Species	Grasses	Poor resource environments –> Lower RA, delayed maturation	Species in lower resource environments must be bigger before they can afford to allocate energy to reproduction and even then allocate less energy to reproduction.	Wilson and Thompson (1989)

(b)
		Higher mortality	Fewer resources
RA	Higher	4	0
	Lower	0	2
Timing of reproduction	Earlier/smaller size	4	1
	Delayed/larger size	0	2