Legacies in life histories

Complex life-histories are common in nature, have many important biological consequences, and are an important focal area for integrative biology. For organisms with complex life-histories, a legacy is something handed down from an ancestor or previous stage, and can be genetic, nutritional/provisional, experiential, as well as the result of random chance and natural variation in the environment. As we learn more about complex life-histories, it becomes clear that legacies are inexorably linked in the short- and long-term through ecology and evolution. Understanding the consequences and drivers of life-history patterns can therefore only be understood by considering all types of legacies and integrating legacies across the entire life cycle. Larry McEdward was a leader in the field of ecological physiology, and evolutionary ecology of marine invertebrate larvae with complex life-histories. Through his scientific work and publications, devotion to students, colleagues, family, and friends, Larry has left a lasting legacy that will impact the future development of the field of larval ecology and complex life-histories.