Answer:
D
Step-by-step explanation:
A.
The population grows exponentially until it approaches 5,000 individuals, and then the population size begins to decrease.
B.
The population grows exponentially until it approaches 5,000 individuals, and then its growth rate decreases.
C.
The population grows at a constant rate until it approaches 5,000 individuals, and then its growth rate increases.
D.
The population grows at a constant rate until it approaches 5,000 individuals, and then the population size remains stable.
The statement that best described the growth rate of the Monarch butterfly after the Meadow was colonized would be that the population grows at a constant rate until it approaches 5,000 individuals, and then the population size remains stable.
The carrying capacity generally represents the maximum number of individuals of a particular species an environment can support based on the resources that the environment has. Ideally, the population only stabilizes with very minimal oscillation around the carrying capacity. It neither decreases nor increases significantly unless a major disruption happens.
The only option that addresses the stability of populations around the carrying capacity of the environment is option D.
The correct answer is D.