Daniela Durn

Distinguish between K and r strategies

K Strategy r Strategy
Few, large expensive (more energy spent)
offspring.
Longer life expectancy with organisms
reaching relative maximum lifespan often, late
blooming, parental nurturing during
development.
Organisms may reproduce more than once
during their lifetime.
High competition, affected by density-
dependent factors e.g. disease
Live in established or stable environments
Shape of graph:

K






Many, small cheap (very little energy spent
on) offspring
Short life expectancy, most offspring die at an
early age, with just a few surviving and
reproducing only once during their lifetime
Low levels of competition during the
exponential phase, live in unstable, changing
environments, affected by density-
independent factors e.g. floods, earthquakes,
fires
Shape of graph:

K