Ecology Interview Question:

How different is the growth according to the biotic potential of a viral population from the growth according to the biotic potential of a bacterial population?

Submitted by: Administrator

The growth curve according to the biotic potential of virus and bacteria both present positive exponential pattern. The difference between them is that in each time period bacteria double their population while the viral population multiplies dozen or hundred times. The viral population growth curve thus has more intense growth. This happens because bacteria reproduce by binary division, each cell generating two daughter cells, while each virus replicate generating dozens or even hundreds of new virus.
Submitted by: Administrator