3.2 K-selected and r-selected

Focuses on quality

K-selected

Focuses on quantity

R-selected

K-selected

Few offspring, heavy parental care, reproduce many times, long lifespan, takes a while to reach sexual maturity, more likely to be disrupted by environmental change

R-selected

Many offspring, little to no parental care, may only reproduce once, shorter lifespan, quick to sexual maturity, more likely to be invasive, better suited to changing conditions

Examples of k-selected

Most mammals and birds

Examples of r-selected

Insects, fish, and plants

Biotic potential in k-selected species

Low biotic potential and hard for the population to recover after a disturbance

What happens in k-selected species when a parent dies?

The offspring will most likely die

How do invasive species impact k-selected species?

Invasive species out compete for resources due to their high biotic potential and rapid population growth

Adaptions and extinctions within k-selected species

Less likely to adapt and more likely to go extinct

Biotic potential in r-selected species

High biotic potential and more rapid population recovery after the disturbance

What happens in r-selected species when a parent dies?

No big impact due to low parental care

How do invasive species impact r-selected species?

They are not very impacted since their populations grow fast, in fact they are more likely to be the invasive species

Adaptions and extinctions within r-selected species

Large population and fast generations result in higher chances of adaptation and lower chances of extinction