Final answer:
Invertebrates produce many eggs to increase offspring survival rates due to predation, mitigate risks posed by unpredictable environmental conditions, and compensate for the lack of parental care post-hatching.
Step-by-step explanation:
Reasons Why Invertebrates Produce Many Eggs
Invertebrates such as insects, fish, and lizards often produce a high number of eggs for several reasons. Firstly, a large quantity of eggs increases the chances of offspring survival despite high predation rates. Invertebrates often face many predators, and by producing many eggs, they ensure that at least some of the offspring will survive to adulthood. Secondly, environmental conditions can be unpredictable and harsh. By laying many eggs, invertebrates spread out the risk that adverse conditions, such as temperature changes or food scarcity, will impact all their offspring. Lastly, many invertebrates lack parental care after eggs are laid, so the high number of eggs compensates for the lack of protection and nurturing. This strategy is a numbers game, with the hope that numerous offspring will increase the likelihood of some reaching maturity.