Summarizing Environmental Limits to Population Growth
Summary
Populations with unlimited resources grow exponentially, with an accelerating growth rate. When resources become limiting, populations follow a logistic growth curve. The population of a species will level off at the carrying capacity of its environment.
Glossary
biotic potential (rmax)
maximal potential growth rate of a species
birth rate (B)
number of births within a population at a specific point in time
carrying capacity (K)
number of individuals of a species that can be supported by the limited resources of a habitat
death rate (D)
number of deaths within a population at a specific point in time
exponential growth
accelerating growth pattern seen in species under conditions where resources are not limiting
intraspecific competition
competition between members of the same species
J-shaped growth curve
shape of an exponential growth curve
logistic growth
leveling off of exponential growth due to limiting resources
population growth rate
number of organisms added in each reproductive generation
S-shaped growth curve
shape of a logistic growth curve
zero population growth
steady population size where birth rates and death rates are equal
This lesson is part of:
Population and Community Ecology