Carrying Capacity Flashcards
carrying capacity
Largest number of individuals of a population that a environment can support without degrading
Limiting factor
An environmental factor that prevents a population from increasing
Density dependent
Factors that have a higher impact as the population density increases.
Density independent
Factors that impact a population regardless of the population density.
Population
A group of individuals that belong to the same species and live in the same area
Ecosystem
A biological community of interacting organisms and their physical environment.
Population Density
Number of individuals per unit area
Competition
orgranisms struggle against one another to obtain what they need to survive
Density Dependent Examples
Food, Shelter, Space, Water, Disease, Nutrient levels,
Abiotic factor
Any nonliving part of the ecosystem, such as water, minerals, sunlight, air, or soil
Biotic factor
Any living thing that is part of an ecosystem
Density Independent Examples
Tornado, Flood, Natural disasters, Laws, Habitat disruption
Logistic Growth
Population growth that is controlled by limited resources, where the graph creates an S shape as it levels off.
Exponential Growth
growth of a population that multiplies by a constant factor at constant time intervals, resulting in an upward spike over time.
Predation
An interaction in which one organism captures and feeds on another organism
Parasitism
A relationship between two organisms of different species where one benefits and the other is harmed
Mutualism
A relationship between two species in which both species benefit
Commensalism
A relationship between two organisms in which one organism benefits and the other is unaffected
Symbiosis
Any relationship in which two species live closely together
interspecific competition
competition between members of different species
What occurs when ecological niches overlap and multiple organisms seek the same resource?
Competition occurs
Which of the following is a biotic factor that would affect the carrying capacity of a population?
A) Soil
B) Predator
C) Rainfall
D) Sunlight
B) Predator
