According to Darwin, population that evolve to maximize their reproductive fitness :

Options

A. High r values
B. Low r values
C. Low or high r values
D. Intermediate r values

Answer

To answer the question about which population evolves to maximize their reproductive fitness according to Darwin, we can break down the concepts of K-selected and R-selected species.

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Understanding Reproductive Fitness**:
- Reproductive fitness refers to the ability of an organism to pass on its genes to the next generation, often measured by the number of offspring produced that survive to reproductive age.

2. **Differentiating Between K-selected and R-selected Species**:
- **K-selected species**:
- These species tend to be larger in size.
- They produce fewer offspring.
- They invest more time and resources into raising their young, leading to higher survival rates for each offspring.
- Examples include elephants and humans.
- **R-selected species**:
- These species are usually smaller in size.
- They produce a high number of offspring.
- They invest less in each individual offspring, leading to lower survival rates but compensating with sheer numbers.
- Examples include insects like mosquitoes and many types of fish.

3. **Maximizing Reproductive Fitness**:
- R-selected species maximize their reproductive fitness by having a high reproductive rate (high R values). This means they can produce many offspring quickly, increasing the chances that some will survive despite high mortality rates.

4. **Conclusion**:
- According to Darwin, populations that evolve to maximize their reproductive fitness are typically R-selected species due to their high reproductive rates and ability to produce a large number of offspring.

### Final Answer:
According to Darwin, populations that evolve to maximize their reproductive fitness are R-selected species, characterized by high reproductive rates and a large number of offspring.

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