Which statement best describes r-strategists?

• A. They live in unstable and unpredictable environments
• B. They live in more stable environments
• C. They have long lifespans
• D. They produce few offspring with high parental care

Answer: (A)

The main idea being tested is how life-history strategy shapes reproduction in response to the environment. r-strategists are adapted to unstable, unpredictable conditions by producing many offspring with little parental care and maturing quickly, so they can take advantage of brief windows of opportunity and rely on numbers for survival. This explains why the best description is that they live in unstable and unpredictable environments—their strategy prioritizes rapid, high-volume reproduction over long-term parental investment. The other statements describe traits typical of the opposite strategy: living in stable environments, having long lifespans, and producing few offspring with substantial parental care.