AP Environmental Science / Unit 3: Populations
3.2 K-Selected and r-Selected Species
Notes
- r-selected: many offspring, little care, short lives, fast maturity (insects, mice).
- K-selected: few offspring, lots of care, long lives (elephants, whales). More vulnerable to extinction.
Practice
Which is r-selected?
Many offspring, little care.
K-selected species are more at risk from hunting because they:
Low reproductive rate.
Populations near carrying capacity are typical of:
K is carrying capacity.
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