Skip to main content
Pearson+ LogoPearson+ Logo

r/K Selection exam Flashcards

Back
r/K Selection exam
1/27

Related practice sets

More sets

  • r/K Selection

    Two contrasting life history strategies shaped by natural selection.

  • K-selected species

    Species that thrive in stable environments near carrying capacity (K), with low fecundity and high parental investment.

  • r-selected species

    Species that flourish in unstable conditions, maximizing growth rates (r) with high fecundity and minimal parental care.

  • What type of survivorship curve do K-selected species exhibit?

    Type 1 survivorship curve.

  • What type of survivorship curve do r-selected species exhibit?

    Type 3 survivorship curve.

  • Carrying capacity (K)

    The maximum population size that an environment can sustain.

  • Fecundity

    The reproductive capacity of an organism or population.

  • Parental investment

    The time and energy parents expend for their offspring's benefit.

  • What is the main characteristic of r-selected species' environments?

    Unstable environments.

  • What is the main characteristic of K-selected species' environments?

    Stable environments.

  • Boom and bust cycles

    Rapid population growth followed by rapid population crashes, typical of r-selected species.

  • Type 1 survivorship curve

    Characterized by low mortality rates and high survivorship early in life, with increased mortality later in life.

  • Type 3 survivorship curve

    Characterized by high mortality rates and low survivorship early in life, with lower mortality and higher survivorship in adulthood.

  • What is the reproductive strategy of K-selected species?

    Producing few offspring with high parental investment.

  • What is the reproductive strategy of r-selected species?

    Producing many offspring with low parental investment.

  • What does 'r' in r-selection stand for?

    Per capita population growth rate.

  • What does 'K' in K-selection stand for?

    Carrying capacity.

  • What type of species is represented by the monarch butterfly in r/K selection?

    r-selected species.

  • What type of species is represented by the orca in r/K selection?

    K-selected species.

  • What is the main focus of K-selection?

    Optimizing fitness at high population densities near carrying capacity.

  • What is the main focus of r-selection?

    Maximizing the per capita population growth rate.

  • Survivorship

    The proportion of individuals surviving at each age interval.

  • What is a key difference between r-selected and K-selected species?

    r-selected species have high fecundity and low parental care, while K-selected species have low fecundity and high parental care.

  • What kind of environments do K-selected species adapt to?

    Stable environments with intense competition.

  • What kind of environments do r-selected species adapt to?

    Unstable environments with less competition.

  • What is the trade-off in r/K selection?

    Between fecundity and survivorship.

  • What happens to mortality rates in Type 1 survivorship curves later in life?

    Mortality rates increase.