(a) Write the conditions under which ‘J’ and ‘S’ shaped growth related population curves are observed.

(b) In a bacterial culture, which one of the growth curves mentioned above would be observed first and why?

(a) The conditions under which ‘J’ and ‘S’ shaped growth related population curves are observed are as follows:

- J shaped curve occur when resources are unlimited and when resources are limited an ‘S’ shaped curve is obtained.

- J shaped is exponential growth, and ‘S’ shaped is logistic growth

- In ‘J’ shaped curve as resources are unlimited all individuals survive and reproduce, whereas in ‘S’ shaped curve as resources are limited, fittest individuals will survive and reproduce.

(b) In a bacterial culture, ‘J’ shaped growth curves are observed first.

Bacterial reproduction occurs via binary fission, in which one bacterial cell divides and becomes two cells. In bacterial culture the bacteria divides exponentially. Each cell division results in a doubling of the cell number. So ‘J’ shaped growth curve will be observed first in bacterial culture.