An r-selected species is a type of organism that has a high reproductive rate, short lifespan, and produces many offspring with little parental care.
Think of an "r" as standing for "rapid reproduction." Just like how some people can quickly finish a task while others take their time, r-selected species are those that prioritize reproducing as quickly as possible without investing much time or resources into each individual offspring.
K-selected species: These are organisms that have a low reproductive rate, long lifespan, and produce few offspring but provide extensive parental care to ensure their survival.
Survivorship curve: A graph that represents the number of individuals surviving at each age in a given population.
Life history strategy: The set of traits and behaviors exhibited by an organism throughout its life cycle in response to environmental conditions.
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