REPRODUCTIVE LIFE OF FRENCH-CANADIANS IN THE 17-18TH-CENTURIES - A SEARCH FOR A TRADE-OFF BETWEEN EARLY FECUNDITY AND LONGEVITY

One of the predictions derived from Williams' (1957) evolutionary theo ry of senescence is the existence of a trade-off between early fecundi ty and longevity. The population register of the French immigrants to Quebec in the 17th century and of the first Canadians in the 17th and 18th centuries was used to detect such a trade-off in a noncontracepti ve human population living at a time when longevity had not been prolo nged by medical care and was not artificially shortened by wars, epide mics, or other external causes. No evidence for such a trade-off could be detected in these populations which had not yet reached the demogr aphic transition phase (i.e., the historical period when longevity beg an to be extended and the progeny began to be reduced). Results are di scussed in connection with the various studies aiming to test the Will iams' theory.