NEETZoologyOrganisms and Populations
What did Darwin demonstrate regarding the growth of slow-growing animals like elephants?
Options
- AThey always remain in small numbers.
- BThey can reach enormous numbers in the absence of checks.
- CThey grow only in captivity.
- DThey cannot reproduce rapidly.
Correct answer
B. They can reach enormous numbers in the absence of checks.
Step-by-step solution
Darwin showed how even a slow growing animal like an elephant could reach enormous numbers in the absence of checks . The following is an anecdote popularly narrated to demonstrate dramatically how fast a huge population could build up when growing exponentially.No population of any species in nature has at its disposal unlimited resources to permit exponential growth. This leads to competition between individuals for limited resources. Eventually, the ‘fittest’ individual will survive and reproduce. The government