6.

1 Limiting Factors,
Carrying Capacity and
Population Growth

Image from http://www.bio.GeorgiaSouthern.edu/bio-home/harvey/lemna.jpg

Definition
A population is group of organisms of
the same species that live in a specific
geographical area, interbreed, and
compete for the same resources - food,
water, shelter, mates,etc.
resources

population size

resources

population size

Definition
Population growth refers to the
change in the size of a population over
time.
Populations change in response to
environmental stress or changes in
environmental conditions

Population changes
1. Size
as a result of births and deaths
Births and Deaths per Year and Total Human Population Size
Births
(olive)
Deaths
(red)
Population
(blue)
Time in years
Graph from http://www.population-growth-migration.info/printerfriendly.php?page=population.html

Population changes
2. Density
based on the number of individuals
occupying a given space, determined
by species characteristics or limiting
factors in the environment

Image from http://www.environment.gov.au/soe/2006/publications/report/land-1.html

Population changes
3. Age distribution
based on the differences between birth
and death rates among successive
generations and average lifespan

Population changes
4. Dispersion
based on immigration, emigration, and
migration (in-migration and outmigration)

Image from http://www.trekearth.com/gallery/Africa/Kenya/photo436500.htm

Population growth limits

No population can grow indefinitely, and
every environment has a carrying
capacity.
Carrying capacity is the maximum
number of individuals of a given species
that can be sustained indefinitely in a
given space.

Carrying capacity

Carrying capacity is affected by:

Competition between and within species
Natural and human caused disasters
Immigration and emigration
Seasonal fluctuations in food, water, shelter, etc.
Graph from http://biologycorner.com/resources/carrycapacitygraph.gif

Whats
happening
here?

Exponential growth
A species that has few if
any resource limitations
grows exponentially.
Exponential growth
starts out slowly and
than proceeds faster
and faster as the
population increases.
Graph from http://biologycorner.com/resources/J_curve.gif

Exponential growth is
graphed as a J-curve.
It is also called
un-restricted growth.

Logistic growth
A species that grows
exponentially at first,
decreases its growth
rate, and levels off at
its carrying capacity
exhibits logistic growth.

Graph from http://www.life.umd.edu/classroom/biol106h/L28/L28_popeco.html

Logistic growth is
graphed as an s-curve,
also called a sigmoid
curve.

Doubling time
Any population that is
growing will eventually
double in size.
Doubling time refers to
the time it will take for a
population to double in
size.

70

= doubling
growth
time
rate
(yrs)
________________

To calculate doubling
time, divide 70 by the
growth rate (expressed
as a percentage)

70
________________

10

= 7 yrs

For a population
growing by 10%

Comparing growth curves

Graphic from http://www.chem.duke.edu/~bonk/Chem8304/read1407.html

Big ideas

Carrying capacity represents the

uppermost level at which a
population can be sustained, and is
affected by a range of factors.

Big ideas
Populations may grow exponentially
(j-curve) or logistically (s-curve), and
this growth is a factor of biotic
potential and environmental
resistance.