Population growth rate

Definition

Population growth rate is the change in the number of individuals in a population over a specific period of time. It is typically expressed as a percentage or as the number of individuals added per unit time.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Population growth rate can be influenced by birth rates, death rates, immigration, and emigration.
2. Exponential growth occurs when resources are unlimited, leading to a rapid increase in population size.
3. Logistic growth describes how a population grows more slowly as it approaches its carrying capacity due to limited resources.
4. Density-dependent factors, such as disease and competition for resources, can slow population growth as the density increases.
5. Density-independent factors like natural disasters can affect population size regardless of its current density.

Review Questions

• What are the primary factors that influence population growth rate?
• How does logistic growth differ from exponential growth?
• What is the role of density-dependent factors in regulating population growth?

Related terms

Carrying Capacity: The maximum number of individuals that an environment can support sustainably.

Exponential Growth: A pattern of data that shows greater increases with passing time, creating a curve that represents rapid population increase under ideal conditions.

Density-Dependent Factors: Factors whose effects on the size or growth of the population vary with the population density, such as competition and predation.