Question

Study the graph given below and answer the questions that follow:
(i) The curve ‘b’ is described by the following equation:
What does ‘K’ stand for in this equation? Mention its significance.
(ii) Which one of the two curves is considered a more realistic one for most of the animal populations?
(iii) Which curve would depict the population of a species of deer if
there are no predators in the habitat? Why is it so?

Answer 1

Answer:

i)dN/dt = rN{(K-N)/K}

• K stands for carrying capacity that the maximum number of individuals of a population that the given environment can sustain.

ii)Since resources for growth for the most animal population are finite and become limiting soon or later, therefore the logistic growth model (b) is considered more realistic for most of the animal populations.

iii) Logistic growth curve model (b) depicts the population of a species of deer in the absence of predators in habitat because resources are limited and competition develops within the prey population.