Download Matthew Morris 10/11/14 Bio 1120-F14 The bell pepper that I chose

Matthew Morris
10/11/14
Bio 1120-F14
The bell pepper that I chose held 312 seeds.
Log of Total Plants
Year 1- 312
14
Year 2- 97,344
12
Year 3- 30,371,328
Year 4- 9,475,854,336
10
Year 5- 2,956,466,552,832
8
6
4
2
0
Year 1
Year 2
Year 3
Year 4
Year 5
After five generations I had just shy of 3 Trillion (2,956,466,552,832) plants a figure which is
pretty impressive.
The graph of the actual figures is nearly straight up for year 5 similar to the example graph
which is why I chose to use the log of the numbers in hopes of having more definition.
The habitat of any species is limited to a finite area that provides the conditions and
environment to which that species is accustomed. A group will not be able to grow beyond the
area to which it has adapted unless it again adapts. This process of adaptation is by no means
instantaneous thereby slowing or diminishing ideal growth. In extreme cases the loss of this
piece of habitat can cause extinction but small communities have also been known to exist so if
any habitat remains then so does the potential for life however tenuous.
There are almost always other species competing for the same resources so one species must
either eliminate the threat of competition or reach some sort of equilibrium with its competition in
order to safely utilize those resources. A species is therefore limited by its ability to control and
utilize the resources that it needs for survival and growth.
Damage to an ecosystem whether created by a species or some other member of its ecosystem
can prevent them from having necessary resources, cause reproductive problems or present
challenges that will cause losses and otherwise prevent optimal progress.
When an ecosystem is damaged by a fire or by the invasion locusts can destroy local
populations and while nature has its ways of dealing with the aftermath of these things they can
also cause irreversible damage to local eco systems if they are too frequent or severe. Man is
often the culprit when it comes to this damage due in large part to our long reach and a near
constant desire to improve or adapt our environment to our liking. In moderation fire helps by
redistributing nutrients and allowing certain plants to germinate but it can also destroy important
stabilizing root systems and contributing to landslides at the other extreme.
Disease is an ever-present threat to all forms of life. They can affect any and all parts of an
organisms and its lifecycle so it is a versatile limiter to the proliferation of any species.
New diseases are introduced into an area by migratory animals or through the mutation of those
that already exist causing the native population to die or become weakened before they have
the possibility of springing back and continuing on. In a small dose these can cause positive
effects as they eliminate the weaker member of the community and free up resource for the
strong. The problem with excessive exposure or extra potent pathogens is their potential to
eliminate or severely cripple an entire population by killing off so many that recovery is virtually
impossible or causing permanent disabilities that weaken the remaining populous to the point of
inability to continue onwards.
Natural planetary cycles such as storms and seasons are a limiter to populations in that the
fluctuation forces the populations to adapt and change in order to survive as well as possibly
killing off members of the population who may be unable to withstand extreme conditions.
These forces can also have the potential of creating unsurvivable situations that push local
populations to move elsewhere or perish.