Question

1. Describe logistic growth, give its equation, and explain why it’s density dependent.  Be able to recognize a graph of logistic growth and predict how changes in both r and K will alter the graph.  What can determine the carrying capacity?  

Answer 1

a) logistic growth - it is growth at which growth rate decreases as population reaches carrying capacity or per capita growth rate ( r) gets smaller as the population approaches its maximum size.

equation - dN/DT = r Max (k-n/k) N.

r = per capita growth rate

k = carrying capacity

N = population size

b)  why it’s density-dependent.

as the population reaches its carrying capacity which means in that environment resources are limited or scare (growth rate stops) so the density of population decreases as intraspecific competition occurs and it levels off resulting  S-shaped curve.

c) we can recognize the graph of logistic growth as it is in S shape but the shape of exponential growth is J shaped

d) carrying capacity is a maximum number of individuals in a population that environment can support so the thing which determines carrying capacity is the availability of resources and intraspecific competition. as resources become limited as density increases and intraspecific competition increases for available food. carrying capacity of that system reaches its limit.

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