Early this spring researchers have recently discovered that there is one small remnant population of endangered bluegrass left in a small prairie plot outside of Kansas City. If there are approximately 850 individuals in the cohort, how many individuals can the researchers expect to find alive at the end of the summer, 6 months later?


a. Approximately 1000

b. Approximately 330

c. Approximately 700

d. Approximately 45

e. None of the individuals will be alive 6 months later.

To determine the number of individuals alive at the end of the summer, we need to consider the reproductive rate and mortality rate of the bluegrass population.

First, let's assume the bluegrass population has a stable reproductive rate and the mortality rate remains constant over the summer. This means that the number of new individuals born will roughly balance out the number of individuals that die.

Next, we need to consider the growth rate of the bluegrass population. Without any information about the specific reproductive and mortality rates, we can estimate the population growth rate based on a typical growth rate for natural populations, which is around 20%.

To calculate the estimated number of individuals at the end of the summer, we can multiply the initial population size by the growth rate:

Estimated number of individuals at the end of the summer = Initial population size + (Initial population size x Growth rate)

Estimated number = 850 + (850 x 0.20) = 850 + 170 = 1020.

Since option (a) "Approximately 1000" is closest to the calculated estimate, the correct answer is (a).