Question

In the scenario you just examined, the wildebeest population with an initial population of 100 is growing at a steady rate (1%), but about three times as many wildebeest are added to the herd in the second 100-year period as in the first 100-year period. What type of growth is occurring in the population and why

Answer 1

The wildebeest population in the scenario is demonstrating exponential growth. Even though the growth rate remains constant, the number of individuals added to the population increases over time because the growth rate applies to a larger population.

Step-by-step explanation:

In the given scenario, the wildbeest population is exhibiting exponential growth. This is deduced from the information that, even though the growth rate is constant at 1%, the number of wildebeest added to the population has tripled in the second 100-year period as compared to the first. Exponential growth is characterized by the population increasing at a constant rate, which means the number of individuals added to the population increases over time. This is because the growth rate applies to an ever-increasing population, as opposed to a constant number of individuals.

This is different from linear growth, where a constant number of individuals are added to the population irrespective of its size. Linear growth would entail the same number of wildebeests added in the first and second 100-year periods.

Learn more about Exponential Growth