When a population is small there is an abundance of resources for all individuals, so the per capita resource availability is high, thus leading to more rapid growth rates (as compared to larger populations). Why then are small populations more likely to go extinct compared to large populations?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Small populations are more impacted by stochastic events, which can include natural disasters, diseases, and fluctuations in resource availability. These events can have a greater impact on smaller populations with fewer individuals to buffer against the effects. In contrast, large populations are more resilient to these events as they have a greater genetic diversity and a larger number of individuals to withstand the effects of fluctuations in resources or environmental conditions. Therefore, small populations are more likely to go extinct due to stochastic events.

When a Population Is Small There Is an Abundance of Resources