According to the graph shown here, the carrying capacity for fruit flies in the environment of the culture bottle is .
a. 0 flies
b. 100 flies
c. 150 flies
d. Between 100 and 150 flies
e. Impossible to determine

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Observe the graph carefully. The y-axis represents the fruit fly population size in the culture bottle, while the x-axis represents time.

Notice that the population size increases rapidly at first, then fluctuates around a relatively stable value over time.

The stable value where the population size levels off and fluctuates slightly is indicative of the carrying capacity of the environment. Carrying capacity is the maximum population size that the environment can sustain indefinitely.

From the graph, the population size stabilizes between 100 and 150 fruit flies, suggesting that the carrying capacity lies within this range.

Based on this observation, the carrying capacity for fruit flies in the culture bottle environment is between 100 and 150 flies.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Carrying Capacity

Carrying capacity refers to the maximum number of individuals of a particular species that an environment can sustainably support. It is determined by the availability of resources such as food, space, and water, and is often represented graphically as a plateau in population growth curves, indicating stability in population size.

Population Dynamics

Population dynamics is the study of how and why populations change over time. It encompasses factors such as birth rates, death rates, immigration, and emigration, which influence population size and growth patterns. Understanding these dynamics is crucial for interpreting graphs that depict population changes, such as the one shown for fruit flies.

Logistic Growth Model

The logistic growth model describes how populations grow in an environment with limited resources. Initially, populations may grow exponentially, but as they approach the carrying capacity, growth slows and stabilizes, resulting in an S-shaped curve. This model helps explain the observed population trends in the graph, where the fruit fly population levels off after reaching a certain size.

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