Question

Your measurements should show that individual larvae grow more slowly in crowded (high density) populations. The simplest explanation for this is:

1) At high densities there is less food available for each individual
2) There is no room for growth at high densities
3) Less food is consumed by the population when the population is larger

Answer 1

In crowded populations, individual larvae grow more slowly due to less food being available for each individual.

Step-by-step explanation:

The simplest explanation for individual larvae growing more slowly in crowded populations is that there is less food available for each individual. This is because at high densities, competition for limited resources like food becomes more intense. As a result, individual larvae receive less food, causing slower growth rates. This phenomenon is an example of density-dependent regulation.