Population Growth

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What is population growth?

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Population growth refers to the increase in the number of individuals in a population over time.

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What is logistic growth?

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Logistic growth is a type of population growth that starts exponentially but slows down as the population reaches carrying capacity due to limited resources.

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What is exponential growth?

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Exponential growth is a rapid increase in population size when resources are unlimited, often represented by a J-shaped curve.

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What is a predator-prey cycle?

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A predator-prey cycle describes the relationship between predators and their prey, where the population sizes of each affect the other.

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What is a density-dependent factor?

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Density-dependent factors are environmental factors that affect a population's growth based on its size, such as competition and disease.

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What is a density-independent factor?

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Density-independent factors are environmental factors that affect population growth regardless of its size, such as natural disasters and weather.

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What is carrying capacity?

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Carrying capacity is the maximum number of individuals of a species that an environment can sustainably support.

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What is the difference between logistic and exponential growth?

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Logistic growth slows down as resources become limited, while exponential growth continues rapidly without resource limitations.

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What role do diseases play in population growth?

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Diseases can act as density-dependent factors that limit population growth by increasing mortality rates.

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How do parasites affect population growth?

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Parasites can reduce the health and reproductive success of hosts, acting as density-dependent factors in population dynamics.