In energy allocation and life-history strategies, which description characterizes r-strategists vs. K-strategists?

• A. r-strategists invest in a few offspring with higher survival.
• B. r-strategists produce many offspring with low parental investment.
• C. r-strategists require stable environments.
• D. r-strategists exhibit long lifespans.

Answer: (B)

In life-history strategies, organisms balance how many offspring to produce with how much to invest in each one. r-strategists maximize offspring number and provide little parental care, taking advantage of unstable environments where many offspring increase the odds that some survive. This leads to high fecundity, early reproduction, and often shorter lifespans. The description that best fits this pattern is producing many offspring with low parental investment. In contrast, K-strategists produce fewer offspring and invest more in each, often with substantial parental care and longer lifespans, which suits stable environments near carrying capacity. So the other statements describe traits more aligned with K-strategists or oppose the typical r-strategist pattern.