13.

1 Population growth
Terms
 Explain biotic potential (r)
 Environmental resistance on population growth
 Carrying capacity
 Natality and mortality
 Growth curve
 Exponential growth curve
 Logistic growth curve
 Density dependent factors
 Density independent factors
• Population: group of individuals of the same species
that live in a habitat

 Population ecology studies interactions between

members of a population & examines factors that affect
population size (growth) & composition

 Population growth involves:

i. biotic potential
ii. environmental resistance
iii. carrying capacity
iv. natality & mortality
v. population strategy
13.1 Population growth…

• ‘The increase in the number of individuals of a population’

Growth at biotic
potential

(carrying capacity)
Growth with
environmental resistance
 BIOTIC POTENTIAL ( r )

• ‘The capacity of a population to increase in size

in ideal / optimum conditions’

• Gives the maximum rate for population growth

when population density is low & resources are
plentiful

• Described by a J-shaped growth curve

 ENVIRONMENTAL RESISTANCE

• ‘Environmental factors that limit growth of the

population’
• The population will not be able to achieve its full
biotic potential
• Growth rate may become zero
• Described by an S-shaped growth curve
• Eg of environmental resistance: limiting
resources (food, light, shelter), accumulating
toxic waste, stress, predation & diseases
 CARRYING CAPACITY
• ‘The maximum population size that a particular
environment can support’
• The area occupied by a population has limiting
resources (eg: predation, disease,food, shelter,
water and light)
• Carrying capacity is achieved when population
growth slows & maintains at a nearly steady
level
• Described by the stable equilibrium phase of the
S-shaped growth curve
 NATALITY & MORTALITY
• Natality: - ‘birth rate’
- the number of offspring produced during
a certain amount of time
• Mortality: - ‘death rate’
- the number of individuals dying during a
certain amount of time
• If natality > mortality, population size increases
• If mortality > natality, population size decreases
• If natality = mortality, population is stable
• Patterns of population growth are described by:

i. Exponential growth curve ( human population )

ii. Logistic growth curve ( S-shape:Paramecium )

Exponential Growth Curve (human population )

• The population size increases slowly during lag phase

& then continuously grows very rapidly as time
passes (log phase)
• Eg: human population growth
 Logistic Growth Curve ( S-shape )
• Consists of:
i. lag phase (individuals start to grow as they are
adapting to the environment)

ii. exponential growth phase (growth is rapid as

resources are still unlimited)

iii. linear phase (environmental resistance starts to take

effect as population approaching the carrying capacity)

iv. equilibrium phase (population becomes stable)

• Eg: population growth of Paramecium in the lab shows

the S-shaped growth curve
 LIMITING FACTORS AFFECTING THE
POPULATION SIZE
• 2 types of limiting factors:
i. Density dependent factors
- factors that limit population growth when population
density / size increases
-eg: niche( predator-prey relationship, habitat )
territorial behaviour, competition and interspecific
factors)

ii. Density independent factors

- factors that limit population growth irrespective of
population size
- due to events that occur seasonally or
unexpectedly
-eg: climate, natural disasters and pesticides )
 Examples of Density dependent factors
a) competition
- when pop. size ↑, competition ↑ for limited sources; causing a
decrease in pop. growth
- 2 types (intraspecific & interspecific)

b) territorial behaviour
- individuals (individually or in groups) select & defend a
territory large enough to provide basic necessities
- the larger & more productive the territory, the better it is for
population growth

c) predator – prey relationship

- when pop. of prey ↑, pop. of predators ↑ & when pop. of prey
↓, pop. of predators ↓
- usually shows fluctuation in pop. growth for both predators &
prey
• Example of independent factors
a) climate / weather
b) natural disasters
d) pesticides