A population with high natality and low mortality will exhibit:

The correct answer is Option (1) → Positive growth

The population density changes through four processes: natality (births), mortality (deaths), immigration and emigration. Natality and immigration raise the density. Mortality and emigration lower it. If N is the density at time t, then the density at time t + 1 is:

    \( \displaystyle N_{t+1} = N_t + [(B + I) - (D + E)] \)

Here B is births, D is deaths, I is immigrants and E is emigrants. When births are many and deaths are few, the bracket is positive and the population grows. This is positive growth.

(1) Positive growth — Correct. Births exceed deaths, so the number of individuals rises.

(2) Negative growth — Incorrect. This would need deaths to exceed births, so that the number of individuals falls.

(3) Declining growth — Incorrect. Declining means the population is falling, which again needs more deaths than births.

(4) No growth — Incorrect. This needs births to equal deaths, so that the number stays the same.