Question

logistic growth occurs whenever a populations size approaches its carrying capacity and is limited by resource availability.
which of these populations is most likely experiencing logistic growth?
a wolf population that has been established in an area for decades, with a stable but limited prey population
a population of vernal pool fairy shrimp that grows rapidly during the wet season and then sharply declines during the dry season
a herd of elephants that is excessively hunted by humans and is losing habitat to increasing farmland

Explanation:

To determine which population is experiencing logistic growth, we analyze each option:

1. Wolf population: Logistic growth occurs when a population approaches its carrying capacity (limited by resources). A wolf population with a stable but limited prey population (their resource) has likely reached a point where growth is limited by prey availability, fitting logistic growth (approaching carrying capacity due to resource limits).
2. Vernal pool fairy shrimp: Their growth is seasonal (wet - dry) and involves sharp declines, not the gradual approach to carrying capacity characteristic of logistic growth (more about environmental fluctuations than resource - based carrying capacity limits).
3. Elephant herd: This population is declining due to hunting and habitat loss, not approaching a carrying capacity in the logistic growth sense (logistic growth involves growth towards a limit, not decline from external pressures).

Answer:

a wolf population that has been established in an area for decades, with a stable but limited prey population