Question

Draw and explain the Logistic population growth curve.

Answer 1

The logistic population growth curve is an S-shaped (sigmoid) curve. In this, the population first grows slowly, then increases rapidly, and finally the growth slows down due to environmental limits until it reaches a stable level. This stable level represents the maximum population size that the environment can support.

Logistic Growth

Phases:

1. Lag Phase: Slow growth due to small population size.
2. Exponential Phase: Rapid growth due to abundant resources. Deceleration Phase: Growth slows down due to competition and limited resources.
3. Stationary Phase: Population stabilise at carrying capacity (K).

The logistic growth equation is:

`(dN)/(dt) = rN((K − N)/K)`

`(dN)/(dt)` = growth rate of population (N = population size, t = time).