The population of an insect species shows an explosive increase in num...
If a population (e.g reindeer population) is allowed to grow in a predator free environment, the population grows beyond carrying capacity and there occurs population crash due to sudden shortage of food. Such growth curves also occur in insect populations during rainy season, and in algal blooms.
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The population of an insect species shows an explosive increase in num...
J-type growth curve of the insect population
The explosive increase in the population of an insect species during the rainy season followed by its disappearance at the end of the season indicates that the growth curve of this insect population is of J-type. J-shaped growth curve is characterized by an exponential increase in the population size of a species in a relatively short period of time, followed by a sudden decline.
Factors contributing to J-type growth curve
There are several factors that contribute to the J-shaped growth curve of the insect population during the rainy season. These include:
1. Abundant food resources: The rainy season provides an abundance of food resources for the insect species, which leads to a rapid increase in their population size.
2. Favorable environmental conditions: The rainy season provides favorable environmental conditions for the insect species to thrive, such as increased humidity and temperature.
3. Lack of predators: The insect population may not have many predators during the rainy season, which allows them to reproduce and increase in numbers rapidly.
4. Short life cycle: Many insect species have a short life cycle, which allows them to reproduce quickly and increase their population size.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the explosive increase in the population of an insect species during the rainy season followed by its disappearance at the end of the season indicates that the growth curve of this insect population is of J-type. This growth curve is characterized by an exponential increase in the population size of the species in a relatively short period of time, followed by a sudden decline.