Question

What life history strategy is most vulnerable when subject to bycatch? why?

K-seleted species

they are unable to replenish their adult populations who are caught and killed as quickly as an R-selected species

inherently they have low adult mortality so low reproductive output

when high anthropogenic mortality is imposed, they don't have reproductive numbers to make up for adult population losses

when mortality > reproduction rates, population can decline

Answer 1

Step-by-step explanation:

The life history strategy most vulnerable when subject to bycatch is the K-selected species. K-selected species are characterized by a slower reproductive rate, longer lifespan, and lower mortality rates compared to r-selected species.

When K-selected species are affected by bycatch, their vulnerability stems from their inherent life history traits. Due to their slower reproductive rate and low adult mortality, they are unable to replenish their populations as quickly as r-selected species, which have higher reproductive rates and shorter lifespans.

Bycatch adds an additional anthropogenic mortality on top of the natural mortality faced by K-selected species. With low reproductive output, the loss of adult individuals due to bycatch cannot be compensated for through rapid reproduction. This leads to a situation where mortality exceeds the rates of reproduction, resulting in a decline in the population.

The combination of low reproductive numbers, slow reproductive rates, and higher adult mortality caused by bycatch makes K-selected species particularly vulnerable to population decline. Their limited capacity to rebound from losses makes them more susceptible to the negative impacts of bycatch, which can ultimately lead to a decline in their population size.