Reproductive strategies

What are reproductive strategies?

Methods and behaviours organisms use to reproduce and ensure offspring survival.

What characterises r-strategists?

Many offspring, little parental care, high mortality, fast maturity, adapted to unstable environments.

What characterises K-strategists?

Few offspring, high parental care, low mortality, slow maturity, adapted to stable environments.

What does fecundity mean?

The number of offspring produced by an organism.

What is parental investment?

Time and energy spent caring for offspring.

What is a trade-off in reproductive strategies?

The balance between energy spent on reproduction versus survival and growth.

Give an example of an r-strategist species.

Insects, many fish, amphibians.

Give an example of a K-strategist species.

Elephants, humans, large mammals.

Why do reproductive strategies evolve?

To maximize fitness — the ability to pass genes to the next generation.

What type of environment do r-strategists thrive in?

Unstable or unpredictable environments.

What type of environment do K-strategists thrive in?

Stable, predictable environments near carrying capacity.