Final answer:
K-selected species are least likely to survive a prolonged dry season in a tropical grassland due to their reliance on stable conditions and their investment in fewer, more vulnerable offspring.
Step-by-step explanation:
When considering which type of species is least likely to survive a longer than normal dry season in a tropical grassland, it is important to understand the reproductive strategies and adaptations of different species. K-selected species are adapted to stable and predictable environments and invest heavily in fewer offspring, providing long-term care, and have offspring that are relatively helpless at birth.
They rely on stability, growing close to their carrying capacity, and are less able to swiftly adapt to rapid environmental changes such as a prolonged drought. In contrast, r-selected species, which reproduce quickly, have many offspring, and mature early, are better equipped to handle unpredictable and changing environments due to their ability to rapidly reproduce and colonize new areas.
Given the circumstances of a prolonged dry season, K-selected species are the least likely to survive, as they would struggle to cope with the lack of resources and the high mortality rate affecting their limited number of offspring. These species, such as elephants and oak trees, are not as resilient to sudden environmental changes compared to r-selected or generalist species, which can quickly adapt or have broader ecological niches.