Chapter 5: Population Dynamics Flashcards
What is a population?
A group of individuals of the same species living in the same area at the same time
What does population dynamics mean?
The forces of growth or change within a population
What are 4 reasons to study population dynamics?
- Allows us to determine a critical population size
- To determine whether a population is thriving, stable or nearly extinct
-Determine what factors are affecting the organisms - What we need to do to save the species and conserve wildlife
What is population density?
Number of individuals per unit area
What is abundance?
Number of organisms per unit area that live in a particualar part of the ecosystem
What is biomass?
Number of dry biomass per unit area
What is a critical population size?
The minimun size a population must be for it to surviv without help
Explain population growth in unstable environments
Unstable environments = ecosystems after natural disarsters. R-selected species inhabit quickly
Explain population growth in stable environments
Stable environments = consistent predictable pattens. Populated with K-selected species. Close to carrying capacity.
What are R-selected species?
Fast growing and reproducing species that quickly colonise an unstable environment, rapid population increase and decrease.
What are K-selected species?
Slow growing, long living species. Long term, sustainable population is maintained
Name 5 things that could limit population growth
- Predators
- Availability of resources
- Spread of disease
- Weather conditions
- Nutrient supply
What is density?
Number of individuals in a given area
What is the capture mark recapture equation?
Number caught and initially tagged x Total number recaptured / Number of tagged individuals recaptured
What are the 3 types of distribution?
- Random distribution
- Uniform distribution
- Clumped distribution