Assuming n is measured in years, and the Malthusian factor for a species of insects is -1, what is the population in year 9 if the population in year 10 is 200?

Answer 1

Hi Gaurav R.,

Assuming you meant "... in year 9 IF the population"? Then you have one (natural) log unit decrease per year, and it was 200e in year 9 or about 544 individuals. I can't tell you what to do with fractional insects in this problem. Though it seems as if someone or something has perhaps figured out what to do with whole insects, namely, use for protein source. -- Cheers, -- Mr. d.