Explain the difference between r- and K-strategists. Where do these terms come from, and what are the characteristics of each broad category?

What will be an ideal response?


R-strategists (r-selected species) "produce massive numbers of young, but then leave survival to the whims of nature." On the other hand, K-strategists (K-selected species) "have a much lower reproductive rate (that is, a lower biotic potential), but then care for and protect the young until they can compete for resources with adult members of the population."
R-strategists are called so because they usually have high r values (the number of offspring that individuals can produce in a given amount of time if resources are unlimited). K-strategists are named as such because "their population sizes are more likely to fluctuate around the carrying capacity," termed K.

Environmental & Atmospheric Sciences

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