Question

Based on The Biggest Little Farm (the clip of the documentary we saw in class), which of the following statements explains the type fo growth the snails experiences, and the reason why that growth occurred?

A. Snails grew exponentially until they ran out of citrus trees to eat
B. Snails grew exponentially until a predator was introduced to keep their population in check
C. Snails grew logistically until they ran out of citrus trees to eat
D. Snails grew logistically until a predator was introduced to keep their population in check

Answer 1

Snails in 'The Biggest Little Farm' grew exponentially and then experienced logistic growth upon the introduction of a predator, stabilizing at an equilibrium reflective of the environment's carrying capacity.

Step-by-step explanation:

Based on the clip of the documentary The Biggest Little Farm that was seen in class, the snails likely experienced the type of growth outlined in option B: Snails grew exponentially until a predator was introduced to keep their population in check. When a population has unlimited resources, it can grow exponentially, as indicated by a J-shaped curve. This type of growth happens when the population size increases at a greater rate over time. However, when resources become scarcer or a predator is introduced, the population growth tends to slow down and stabilize, reflecting a logistic growth pattern.

Logistic growth is when population expansion decreases as resources become less available, typically leveling off at the carrying capacity, the maximum population size that the environment can sustain, shown by an S-shaped curve. In this case, the introduction of a predator would be the limiting factor that brings the snail population into equilibrium, effectively transitioning their growth from exponential to logistic.