Question

In Lotka-Volterra models, a population is stable when its rate of change is?

1) greater than zero
2) less than zero
3) equal to zero
4) None of the above

Answer 1

In Lotka-Volterra models, a population is stable when its rate of change is equal to zero, indicating a state of equilibrium. This is seen in Stage 4 of demographic transitions where birth and death rates are balanced.Option 3 is the correct answer.

Step-by-step explanation:

In Lotka-Volterra models, which are used to describe the dynamics of biological systems in which two species interact, one as a predator and the other as a prey, a population is stable when its rate of change is equal to zero. This means that the population is not increasing or decreasing in size; it's in a state of equilibrium. Stage 4 in the context of age structure diagrams or demographic transition represents this stability, where the birth rate and death rate are balanced so that population growth slows to zero.

The concept is similar to the logistic model of population growth, which also identifies a point of stability when a population reaches its carrying capacity due to limiting factors like food resources, predation, and disease. Essentially, the idea is that nature tends to regulate populations to prevent endless growth or decline, maintaining a balance within ecosystems.