Question

logistic growth occurs whenever a populations size approaches its carrying capacity and is limited by resource availability.
which of these populations is most likely experiencing logistic growth?
a herd of elephants that is excessively hunted by humans and is losing habitat to increasing farmland
a wolf population that has been established in an area for decades, with a stable but limited prey population
a population of vernal pool fairy shrimp that grows rapidly during the wet season and then sharply declines during the dry season

Explanation:

Logistic growth happens when a population nears its carrying capacity, limited by resources, leading to stable growth near that limit.

1. The elephant herd is declining due to hunting/habitat loss, not approaching a natural carrying capacity.
2. The wolf population is established with stable, limited prey (a key resource), so it will stay near the carrying capacity set by prey availability, matching logistic growth.
3. The fairy shrimp population has extreme seasonal boom-bust, not stable growth near a carrying capacity.

Answer:

a wolf population that has been established in an area for decades, with a stable but limited prey population