r selection
Ecology.
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.
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Nearby words
Also r-se·lec·tion [ahr-si-lek-shuh n] /ˈɑr sɪˌlɛk ʃən/.
Compare K selection.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019