How can a population be slowed by its own numbers Some peopl

How can a population be slowed by its own numbers? Some people are now realizing the significance of population growth. Although this exercise treated the problem only in biological terms, the reality of population growth is much more complex because it involves political, social, and economic problems. What are some of these problems? How do they affect you now? How will they affect you later in life (e.g., when you want to retire)? Should we do anything to slow the \"population explosion\"? If so, what? If not, why? From purely ecological standpoint, can the problem of world hunger ever be overcome by improved agriculture alone? What other components must a hunger-control policy include?

Solution

Answer:

1. Exponential growth cannot continue indefinitely in a population with its limited resources. Exponential growth may occur in environments where there are few individuals and plentiful resources, but when the number of individuals becomes large enough, resources will be depleted, slowing the growth rate.

This population size, which represents the maximum population size that a particular environment can support, is called the carrying capacity, or K. The formula used to calculate logistic growth adds the carrying capacity as a moderating force in the growth rate.

dN/dt = r_max * (dN/dt) = r_max * N * ((K-N)/K)

When N is very small, (K-N) / K becomes close to K/K or 1; the right side of the equation reduces to r_maxN, which means the population is growing exponentially and is not influenced by carrying capacity.

On the other hand, when N is large, (K-N)/K come close to zero, which means that population growth will be slowed greatly or even stopped.

It also explains for the negative population growth or a population decline. This occurs when the number of individuals in the population exceeds the carrying capacity (because the value of (K-N)/K is negative).

Thus, a population can be slowed down by its own numbers.