Question

linear growth is most likely to occur when the number of reproductive individuals does not change with population size. which of these populations is most likely to grow linearly? a colony of bees, which always has one reproductive female no matter how big the colony gets a population of bacteria, in which all individuals reproduce asexually a pride of lions, which gains more reproductive females as the pride grows

Explanation:

To determine which population grows linearly, we use the given rule: linear growth occurs when the number of reproductive individuals does not change with population size.

• For the bee colony: It always has one reproductive female, so the number of reproducers is constant.
• For bacteria: All individuals reproduce asexually, so the number of reproducers increases with population size (each bacterium can reproduce), so growth is not linear.
• For the lion pride: It gains more reproductive females as it grows, so the number of reproducers increases with population size, so growth is not linear.

Only the bee colony has a constant number of reproductive individuals, fitting the linear growth condition.

Answer:

a colony of bees, which always has one reproductive female no matter how big the colony gets