Zebra mussels are invasive species native to the Caspian Sea region. They reached North America by shipping vessels in the 1980s and rapidly established in the Great Lakes. They can quickly reach densities of 100{,}000100,000100, comma, 000 individuals per square meter. Zebra mussels feed on plankton, bacteria, and detritus, which make up the base of the aquatic food web. They use a strong sticky substance to attach to hard surfaces such as water intake pipes and can survive in a wide variety of environments as long as an ample amount of food is present. Would Zebra mussel species likely be categorized as r-selected or K-selected, and why are they so effective as invasive species? A-Zebra mussels are K-selected, and they are an effective invasive because they can outcompete native species.
B-Zebra mussels are r-selected, and they are an effective invasive because they reproduce at an early age.
C-Zebra mussels are r-selected, and they are an effective invasive because they live only in still, slow-moving water.
D-Zebra mussels are K-selected, and they are an effective invasive because they can live in more extreme temperatures than native species.