AP Environmental Science Flashcards: Survivorship Curves
Written by AP Content Team, Verified for 2026 AP Exams, Last updated: May 2026
Review key ideas with interactive flashcards. This set includes 10 cards to help you master important concepts.
What pattern of survival is indicated by a Type II survivorship curve?
A Type II curve indicates a constant mortality rate throughout the life of an organism, meaning the chance of dying is independent of age.
Card 1 of 10
All Flashcards (10)
What pattern of survival is indicated by a Type II survivorship curve?
A Type II curve indicates a constant mortality rate throughout the life of an organism, meaning the chance of dying is independent of age.
A species has a high survival rate early in life, with most mortality occurring in old age. Which type of survivorship curve does this describe?
This describes a Type I curve, which is typical for K-selected species.
What is the primary factor tracked by a survivorship curve?
A survivorship curve primarily tracks the relative survival rates of a cohort from birth until the maximum age is reached.
In the context of population ecology, what is a cohort?
A cohort is a group of individuals of the same age within a population whose survival is tracked from birth.
Which type of species, K-selected or r-selected, is associated with a Type I curve?
K-selected species are typically associated with a Type I survivorship curve.
What are the three general types of survivorship curves?
The three types of survivorship curves are Type I, Type II, and Type III.
How do survivorship curves generally differ between K-selected and r-selected species?
K-selected species typically follow a Type I or Type II curve, while r-selected species characteristically follow a Type III curve.
Which type of species, K-selected or r-selected, is associated with a Type III curve?
R-selected species are associated with a Type III survivorship curve.
What is a survivorship curve?
A survivorship curve is a line that displays the relative survival rates of a cohort in a population, from birth to the maximum age reached by any one cohort member.
An r-selected species, such as a sea turtle that lays many eggs with few surviving to adulthood, would be represented by which survivorship curve?
This species would be represented by a Type III curve, which shows a high mortality rate for the young.