Final answer:
Altricial young are helpless at birth and require a relatively long time for incubation and gestation, corresponding to option D in the question. Altricial birds, such as the Great Frigatebird, are an example of species that require intensive parental care for an extended period.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student is inquiring about the reproductive and development characteristics of altricial organisms compared to precocial organisms. Specifically, the question asks whether altricial young are independent or helpless at birth and whether they require a short or long time for incubation and gestation. The correct answer is that altricial young are helpless at birth and they require a relatively long time for incubation and gestation, which corresponds to option D. Examples of altricial birds include those that are born blind and without feathers, such as the Great Frigatebird, which relies on intensive parental care for many months after hatching. In contrast, precocial species, like ducks and chickens, hatch more mature and are capable of considerable independence from birth.