In a pond, there were 50 lotus plants last year. Through reproduction, 15 new plants were added, while 8 plants died. In the same period, 5 plants were introduced into the pond from a neighbouring area, and 2 plants were removed. What is the current population of lotus plants in the pond?

Step-by-step solution

The population density at time t+1 is given by the equation: N_ t+1 = N_ t + [(B + I) - (D + E)] Given: Initial population ( N_ t ) = 50 Number of births ( B ) = 15 Number of deaths ( D ) = 8 Immigration ( I ) = 5 Emigration ( E ) = 2 Substituting the values: N_ t+1 = 50 + [(15 + 5) - (8 + 2)] N_ t+1 = 50 + [20 - 10] = 60 Thus, the current population of lotus plants is 60. Answer: 60