[Campbell Biology P.1246] Why does a constant per capita rate of growth r for a population ty... | Practice Question
Why does a constant per capita rate of growth r for a population typically produce a J-shaped growth curve?
A: Because the intrinsic rate of increase (r) itself accelerates over time, making the curve steeper.
B: Because the total number of individuals added per unit of time (dN/dt) increases as the population size (N) grows, even if 'r' remains constant.
C: Because resources become increasingly limited, causing the growth rate to slow down.
D: Because the per capita birth rate increases and the per capita death rate decreases as the population size increases.
Explanation
Even though the per capita growth rate r is constant, the total number of individuals added to the population per unit of time dN/dt = rN increases as the population size N itself grows larger. This compounding effect leads to an increasingly steep curve, characteristic of a J-shape.