Question

A population of mice in a meadow is growing in a pattern of logistic growth. Arrange these events in the order in which they occur.
1. The population fluctuates near carrying capacity
2. The population increase begins to slow
3. The population increases exponentially

Answer 1

Answer:

2, 3, 1

Explanation:

For logistic population growth, the initial growth is slow while the population is trying to get acclimatized to the environment but the growth increases exponentially once it is done acclimatizing. The exponential growth continues until the carrying capacity is reached and then starts to fluctuate around the carrying capacity. The carrying capacity signifies the maximum size of the population that the environment can support based on the resources that it has. Hence, the logistic population growth curve forms a S shape.

In summary, the correct order of events is:

• The population increase begins to slow
• The population increases exponentially
• The population fluctuates near carrying capacity

Therefore, the order is 2, 3, 1.