A population's growth rate through the phases of logistic growth changes as follows:
- Early phase (Lag phase): The growth rate is slow because the population size is small and individuals are acclimating to the environment.
- Mid phase (Exponential growth phase): The growth rate increases rapidly as resources are abundant and the population size grows quickly.
- Inflection point: The growth rate reaches its maximum when the population size is about half the carrying capacity.
- Late phase (Deceleration phase): The growth rate slows down as resources become limited.
- Stationary phase: Growth rate approaches zero as population size nears or reaches the carrying capacity (the maximum population size that the environment can sustain).
Thus, the population growth rate initially accelerates, peaks midway at half the carrying capacity, and then decelerates to zero as the population approaches the carrying capacity of the environment, creating an S-shaped logistic growth curve.
