Question
What may cause a population to temporarily overshoot its carrying capacity? a an increase in predators b a reproductive time lag c a decrease in birth rates d an increase in emigration
Answers
GPT-4o mini
A population may temporarily overshoot its carrying capacity primarily due to **b) a reproductive time lag**.
This occurs when a population experiences a rapid increase in numbers before the environmental factors that limit it (such as food availability, habitat space, or predation) can catch up to this growth. In scenarios where there is a lag between reproduction and resource limitation, the population may exceed the carrying capacity of the environment briefly before negative feedback mechanisms (like increased mortality or decreased birth rates due to resource scarcity) take effect.
The other options can also affect population dynamics, but they do not directly lead to an overshoot of carrying capacity in the same way that a reproductive time lag does:
- **a) an increase in predators** would typically reduce population size rather than cause an overshoot.
- **c) a decrease in birth rates** would also reduce the population size.
- **d) an increase in emigration** would likewise reduce the population as individuals leave the area.
Therefore, the best answer is **b) a reproductive time lag**.
This occurs when a population experiences a rapid increase in numbers before the environmental factors that limit it (such as food availability, habitat space, or predation) can catch up to this growth. In scenarios where there is a lag between reproduction and resource limitation, the population may exceed the carrying capacity of the environment briefly before negative feedback mechanisms (like increased mortality or decreased birth rates due to resource scarcity) take effect.
The other options can also affect population dynamics, but they do not directly lead to an overshoot of carrying capacity in the same way that a reproductive time lag does:
- **a) an increase in predators** would typically reduce population size rather than cause an overshoot.
- **c) a decrease in birth rates** would also reduce the population size.
- **d) an increase in emigration** would likewise reduce the population as individuals leave the area.
Therefore, the best answer is **b) a reproductive time lag**.