Final answer:
It is true that species with type III survivorship curves experience high mortality rates when they are young, due to producing many offspring with little to no care.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that species with type III survivorship curves experience extremely high mortality rates in early life is true. A type III survivorship curve is characterized by a scenario where many individuals die young, with few living to old age. This survival strategy is often observed in species that produce a large number of offspring but provide minimal or no parental care. This leaves the offspring vulnerable to predation and other threats, resulting in high mortality rates among the young. However, those that do survive past the early stages of life tend to have a better chance of living longer. Examples of organisms with a type III survivorship curve include trees and marine invertebrates.