Question

in 1960, people hunted harbor seals in washington state because they thought seals limited the success of commercial and sport fishing. in 1960, it became against the law to hunt harbor seals. the graph below shows the harbor seal population in washington state between 1970 and 2000.

based on the information in the graph, which two factors most likely contributed to the flattening of the curve between the years 1995 and 2000?

a. limited amount of water

b. limited amount of space

c. competition for mates

d. competition for food

Explanation:

As a population grows, limited space can restrict further growth as there may not be enough room for individuals. Also, competition for food increases as the number of individuals in a population rises, which can limit population growth. Limited water is not indicated as a factor from the context given, and competition for mates usually does not cause the flattening of a population - growth curve as significantly as space and food availability.

Answer:

B. limited amount of space
D. competition for food