Biology [[Classification, Selection and Evolution]] Overproduction

[[Overproduction]]

Reproductive Potential: The potential all organisms have to increase their populations

For example: Rabbits
Rabbits have several kittens in one litter and several litters a year. If all young rabbits reproduced then the population would increase rapidly. This happened in Australia in nineteenth century when twelve pairs were introduced in a ranch as a source of food. There were few predators, and the food was too their liking, so rabbit numbers soared. This affected the grazing for sheep

This is rare in normal circumstances as population explosions do not usually happen.
Environmental Factors comeinto play to keeo down the numbers of populations. These factors can be:
Biotic:Ab caused by living organisms (predation, competition, infection)
Abiotic: non-living components of the environment (water, nutrients)

For example: Rabbits
Increasing number of rabbits eat increasing amount of vegetation until food is in short supply.
The larger the number of rabbits, the larger the number of predators.
Overcrowding may occur as the population increases which allows diseases such as myxomatosis to spread
These factors act to reduce the rate of growth of the rabbit populations. Many will die from lack of food, disease, or be killed by predators. Only a small proportion will survive to adult hood and reproduce themselves.

Over time, the propulation will oscillate at a mean level.