Question

A population of white oak trees with 500 individuals and a carrying capacity of 1,500 follows logistic growth. Under ideal low-density conditions, its growth rate is 0.15 per year, but it faces competition from a population of 1,000 Chapmann oaks with an alpha of 0.5. What is the expected growth of the population of white oaks in the next year?

1) 0
2) 25
3) 50
4) 75

Answer 1

The expected growth of the population of white oaks in the next year is 12.5%, which is closest to option 2) 25.

Step-by-step explanation:

The expected growth of the population of white oaks in the next year can be determined using the logistic growth model. The growth rate under ideal low-density conditions is 0.15 per year. We need to calculate the competition factor (C) by dividing the carrying capacity of the environment by the sum of the white oak population and the Chapman oak population: C = 1500 / (500 + 1000) = 0.8333. The expected growth of the white oak population can now be calculated by multiplying the growth rate with the competition factor: Growth = 0.15 * 0.8333 = 0.125. Therefore, the expected growth of the population of white oaks in the next year is 12.5%, which is closest to option 2) 25.