EVERYDAY SCIENCE

Detailed explanation-1: -Limiting factors include a low food supply and lack of space. Competition for resources like food and space cause the growth rate to stop increasing, so the population levels off. The carrying capacity (K) is the maximum population size that can be supported in a particular area without destroying the habitat.

Detailed explanation-2: -Carrying Capacity and the Logistic Model Exponential growth may occur in environments where there are few individuals and plentiful resources, but when the number of individuals gets large enough, resources will be depleted, slowing the growth rate. Eventually, the growth rate will plateau or level off (Figure 1).

Detailed explanation-3: -In the natural world, limiting factors like the availability of food, water, shelter and space can change animal and plant populations. Other limiting factors, like competition for resources, predation and disease can also impact populations.

Detailed explanation-4: -Growth and Decay Factor For an exponential growth function written as y=a * (1+r)^t, the quantity (1 + r) is called the growth factor. Likewise, for an exponential decay function, y = a * (1-r)^t, (1-r) is called the decay factor.