Apes Ch 6b

Question 1

Population ecology-

Answer 1

.the study of factors that cause populations to increase or decrease

Question 2

Population size-

Answer 2

.total number of individuals within a defined area at a given time

Question 3

population density-

Answer 3

.number of individuals per unit area at a given time

Question 4

Population distribution-

Answer 4

a description of how individuals are distributed with respect tO one another

Question 5

Sex ratio-

Answer 5

the ratio of males to females

Question 6

Age structure-

Answer 6

a description of how many individuals fit into particular age categories

Question 7

Logistic growth model-

Answer 7

describes a population whose growth is initially exponential, butsllws as the population approaches carrying capacity of the environment (K).

Question 8

Density dependent factor-

Answer 8

influences an individual’s probability of survival and reproduction in a manner that depends on the size of the population

Question 9

Density independent factor-

Answer 9

has the same effect on an individual’s probability of survival and amount of reproduction at any population size

Question 10

Limiting resources-

Answer 10

a resource that a population cannot live without and which occurs in quantities lower than the population would require to increase in size

Question 11

Carrying capacity-

Answer 11

the limit of how many individuals in a population a food supply can sustain (denoted as K)

Question 12

Growth rate-

Answer 12

the number of offspring an individual can produce in a given time period, minus the deaths of the individual or its offspring during the same period.

Question 13

Intrinsic growth rate-

Answer 13

the particular maximum for potential growth in a population

Question 14

Exponential growth rate-

Answer 14

a growth model that estimates a population’s future size after a period of time, based on the intrinsic growth rate and the number of reproducing individuals currently in the population.

Question 15

J shaped curve-

Answer 15

is produced by an exponential growth model when populations are not limited by resources

Question 16

S shaped curve-

Answer 16

is produced by an exponential growth model when a population size reaches carrying capacity and stops growing

Question 17

overshoot-

Answer 17

when a population becomes larger than carrying capacity

Question 18

die off-

Answer 18

population crash from lack of resources for the population

Question 19

K selected species-

Answer 19

typically larger organisms, reach reproductive maturity late, produce few, large offspring, and provide substantial parental care.

Question 20

R selected species-

Answer 20

relatively small organisms, do not remain near carrying capacity, produce rapid population growth, produce many, small offspring, and provide little to no parental care.

Question 21

Survivorship curves-

Answer 21

what are plotted on a graph to show a species distinct pattern of survival over time

Question 22

Corridors-

Answer 22

strips of habitat that connect separated populations

Question 23

Metapopulation-

Answer 23

a group of spatially distinct populations that are connected by occasional movements of individuals between them

Question 24

Competitive exclusion principle-

Answer 24

states that two species competing for the same limiting resource cannot coexist

Question 25

Resource partitioning-

Answer 25

results in competition for a limiting resource and is when two species divide a resource based on differences in the species’ behavior or morphology

Question 26

Predation-

Answer 26

the use of one species as a resource by another species

Question 27

Herbivory-

Answer 27

animals who consume plants for food

Question 28

Parasitism-

Answer 28

animals who live on or in the organism they consume, referred to as their host

Question 29

Pathogen-

Answer 29

parasites that cause disease in their host

Question 30

Symbiosis-

Answer 30

a relationship of two species that live in close association with each other

Question 31

Commensalism-

Answer 31

a relationship between species in which one species benefits and the other species is neither harmed nor helped

Question 32

Mutualism-

Answer 32

an interaction between species that increases the chances of survival or reproduction for both species.

Question 33

Keystone species-

Answer 33

a species that plays a role in its community that is far more important than its relative abundance might suggest

Question 34

Primary succession-

Answer 34

occurs on surfaces that are initially devoid of soil, such as an abandoned parking lot

Question 35

secondary succession-

Answer 35

occurs in areas that have been disturbed but have not lost their soil

Question 36

Pioneer species-

Answer 36

species that have the ability to colonize new areas rapidly and grow well in full sunshine

Question 37

Community-

Answer 37

incorporates all of the populations of organisms within a given area