K selection: Meaning and Definition of

K selection

Pronunciation: (kā'si-lek"shun). [key]
— Ecol. Ecol.
  1. selection occurring when a population is at or near the carrying capacity of the environment, which is usually stable: tends to favor individuals that successfully compete for resources and produce few, slowly developing young, and results in a stable population of long-lived individuals. Cf. r
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.