Final answer:
K-selected strategists are species with stable populations that exist in predictable environments, have fewer but larger offspring, and provide significant parental care, exemplified by elephants and oak trees, as opposed to r-selected strategists which thrive in unpredictable environments and have many small offspring with minimal care.
Step-by-step explanation:
The K-selected strategists are competitive species with stable populations of long-lived individuals. These species are characterized by living in stable, predictable environments and their populations tend to operate near their carrying capacity. K-selected species tend to have fewer, but larger offspring, invest heavily in parental care, and have longer gestation periods. For example, elephants and oak trees are considered K-selected species due to these characteristics.
In contrast, r-selected species thrive in unstable and unpredictable environments. They produce a large number of small offspring, provide minimal parental care, and the offspring are relatively independent at birth. Jellyfish and dandelions are typical examples of r-selected species.
These strategies suggest species have adopted various reproductive strategies along a continuum between K-selection and r-selection based on their environment and life history requirements.