Data from: Artificial selection for increased reproductive effort accelerates actuarial senescence and reduces lifespan in a precocial bird

Life history theory and evolutionary theories of ageing predict that
trade-offs between reproduction and somatic maintenance shape the
evolution of ageing and lifespan. However, the significance of these
trade-offs remains debated, as previous correlational studies have
produced inconsistent results. Here we used an experimental artificial
selection approach in a precocial bird, the Japanese quail (Coturnix
japonica), to directly test this fundamental tenet. We found that
selection for divergent reproductive effort affected adult survival, with
shorter lifespans in individuals selected for higher reproductive effort
compared to individuals selected for lower reproductive effort at
generations five and six. This difference in lifespan was driven by
accelerated actuarial senescence rather than changes in baseline
mortality. No differences in reproductive senescence were observed between
the selection treatments. Our findings provide experimental evidence that
vertebrate mortality trajectories can evolve rapidly in response to
selection and demonstrate that increased reproductive effort is
intrinsically linked to faster ageing and a shorter lifespan - thereby
supporting a central tenet of life history and ageing theory.