rselection: Meaning and Definition of

r selection

Pronunciation: (är'si-lek"shun). [key]
— Ecol. Ecol.
  1. selection occurring when a population is far below the carrying capacity of an unstable environment: tends to favor individuals that reproduce early, quickly, and in large numbers so as to make use of ephemeral resources and ensure that at least some offspring survive.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.