r and K Selection or b and d Selection?

Abstract

The concepts of r and K selection and b and d selection are discussed and compared. The former pair of concepts will play a central role in the development of new theories in population biology which relax the assumptions that communities (and portions thereof) are either fully saturated or completely unsaturated. It is hypothesized that maximal tolerable niche overlap should vary inversely with the level of competition, and a test is suggested.