kselected

K-selected is a term in life-history theory used to describe species whose populations tend to stabilize near the carrying capacity of their environment. It arises from the r/K selection framework, which contrasts strategies that maximize short-term reproduction (r-selected) with those that optimize long-term survival near environmental limits (K-selected). The concept emphasizes how species adapt to relatively stable environments where resources are limited and competition is high.

Typical K-selected traits include delayed maturity, longer lifespans, relatively low reproductive rates, substantial parental investment, and greater body size. These species often produce fewer offspring at a time but provide more care or protection, resulting in higher juvenile survival. They are usually have slower development and may be more competitive for limited resources, occupying stable ecological niches where population levels remain near the environment’s carrying capacity.

Common examples cited for K-selected strategies are large mammals such as elephants and whales, as well as many primates and some seabirds like albatrosses. In plants and other groups, the spectrum of life-history strategies is more continuous, and many species exhibit mixed traits that do not fit neatly into a binary r/K classification. The dichotomy has been criticized as overly simplistic and is now viewed as a continuum rather than a strict categorization.

Overall, K-selection remains a useful heuristic for understanding certain life-history trade-offs, though modern ecology often emphasizes species-specific traits and continuum models over a rigid dichotomy.