S-Curve Adoption

Biological Parallel

S-curves describe population growth and trait adoption: slow start, exponential middle, plateau at carrying capacity. Invasive species follow S-curves—rabbits introduced to Australia grew slowly at first (establishment), exploded exponentially (no predators, abundant resources), then plateaued when they hit food limits and myxomatosis. Every S-curve is an interaction between exponential potential (biology's default) and environmental constraints (carrying capacity). The curve's shape reveals whether growth is resource-limited, predator-limited, or space-limited.