A population of 150 birds in a sanctuary experiences 45 births and 15 deaths over a period of one year. What is the intrinsic rate of natural increase ( r ) for this population?

Step-by-step solution

The intrinsic rate of natural increase ( r ) is calculated as the difference between the per capita birth rate ( b ) and the per capita death rate ( d ), i.e., r = b - d . Initial population size = 150 Number of births = 45 Number of deaths = 15 Per capita birth rate ( b ) = 45 150 = 0.3 Per capita death rate ( d ) = 15 150 = 0.1 Intrinsic rate of natural increase ( r ) = 0.3 - 0.1 = 0.2 Using 0.3 is incorrect as it is only the birth rate. Using 30 is incorrect as it represents the absolute increase in population (