Read the following statements and select the correct option.
Statement I: The life history of a species refers to its pattern of survival and reproduction events.
Statement II: Populations evolve to maximize their reproductive fitness in their habitat.
Both statements are true.
Statement I is true, but statement II is false.
Statement I is false, but statement II is true.
Both statements are false.
Correct option B) Statement I is true, but statement II is false.
Statement I is true, as the life history of a species refers to the pattern of survival and reproduction events typical for a member of the species, which includes their reproductive strategy.
Statement II is false, as semelparous species do not necessarily sacrifice their health to the point that they do not survive. While some semelparous species do die after a single reproductive event, others do not. For example, Pacific salmon fish die after spawning, but bamboo plants can continue to survive and grow even after flowering and producing seeds.
Option b is the correct answer.