Final answer:
Humans are described by a Type I survivorship curve, which features low mortality among younger individuals and higher mortality in older age, reflecting the care provided to few offspring leading to higher survival rates to adulthood.
Step-by-step explanation:
The survivorship pattern that describes humans is Type I survivorship curve. This pattern is characterized by low mortality in the early and middle years, with most deaths occurring among older individuals. In a Type I curve, parents produce fewer offspring but provide significant care, thereby increasing the likelihood of their offspring's survival to adulthood and old age. This pattern is typical of large animals, including humans. On the contrary, Type II curves show a relatively constant mortality rate throughout the lifespan, typical of some birds, and Type III curves exhibit high mortality at younger ages with few individuals surviving to maturity, a common pattern in trees and many species of fish.