Populations expand when resources such as food, water, and shelter are abundant. Under ideal conditions, including unlimited access to food and reproduction at physical capacity, a population will increase exponentially, producing a J-shaped growth curve. However, resources are rarely unlimited, and exponential growth cannot continue indefinitely. The logistic model describes how population growth slows as the population size approaches a habitat’s carrying capacity (K). For a hypothetical mouse population, determine whether the actions described will increase K, decrease K, or not affect K.

Drag each statement to the appropriate bin.

K increases:

K decreases:

No effect on K:

1) a main competitor for food is eliminated, increasing food availability

2) a parking lot is built, shrinking the habitat

3) offsprings live longer

4)wetlands are drained, decreasing the amount of avail water

5) an abandoned buidling creates more nesting areas

6) a species with the same food requirements is introduced