Final answer:
Populations grow based on birth rate, death rate, immigration, and emigration, but population growth is limited by factors such as availability of resources, space, and predation.
Step-by-step explanation:
Populations Growth and Limiting Factors
In biology, population growth refers to the increase in the number of individuals of a species over time. It is influenced by several factors, including birth rate, death rate, immigration, and emigration. Populations can grow exponentially if resources are abundant, but growth is ultimately limited by limiting factors such as the availability of food, water, space, and disease.
For example, imagine a population of rabbits in a forest. If there is plenty of food and space, the rabbit population can grow rapidly. However, as the population size increases, the competition for resources becomes more intense. Eventually, the availability of food and space becomes limited, leading to a decrease in the population growth rate.
Other limiting factors, such as predation, can also impact population growth. For instance, if the rabbit population becomes too large, predators like foxes may increase in number to feed on the rabbits, reducing the rabbit population.
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