Reproductive pattern in organisms can be typically categorised into two:
1. K- Strategy
2. R- Strategy
K-strategists are organisms that lives in very stable environments and gives birth to fewer organisms. Most of these organisms reproduce close the carrying capacity of their habitat. They offer support and protection to their progeny to the points where they become indepedent. The mortality rate is very low in such organisms and so is the birth rate too.
R-strategists are organisms whose main aim is to populate and dominate an environment. They reproduce exponentially and offers no life support to their progeny in their early developmental stage. They often occupy unstable and highly unpredictable environments. Most R organisms have a very low and short life expectancy. Since they produce more offspring and they live under adverse environments, mortality rate is high.
Examples of K-strategists are elephants and man
Examples of R-stategists are grasses and microbes.
