Question

A small group of leaf-feeding beetles locates a field of snap beans, one of the preferred plants for this species. At first, the population grows rapidly in the snap bean field, but as the beetle population grows larger, predators, such as spiders and birds, discover the beetles and start to remove individuals from the population. Competition for mates, food, and oviposition (egg-laying) sites intensifies for the individuals in the beetle population as population density increases. A fungal disease also starts to kill many of the beetles. The population no longer grows rapidly but levels off. How would you describe the factors limiting the beetle population?

Answer 1

Density dependent factors have reduced the beetle population growth.

Step-by-step explanation:

The beetle population grows initially without any limiting factor. However, as the population size increases, several factors such as predation, competitions, etc. become effective in reducing population growth. The factors that affect the population size or growth with respect to the population density are called density-dependent factors.

Predation of beetles increased as their large population size became apparent to the predators. Competition for several resources increased after the population size increased significantly. Therefore, both predation and competition are density-dependent factors here.