Chapter 44 - Population ecology

Question 1

Population

Answer 1

All individuals of a species in a specific place at a specific time.

Question 2

Population size

Answer 2

Number of individuals alive of all ages at a particular time and place.

Question 3

Range

Answer 3

Geographic area over which a population is spread.

Question 4

Population Distribution types

Answer 4

Population distribution can be clumped or clustered, randomized, or uniform.

Question 5

Estimating Population Size

Answer 5

Mark-and-Recapture Method: Capture, mark without affecting function or behavior, release, and recapture.

Question 6

Population Size Equation

Answer 6

(Births - Deaths) + (Immigration - Emigration)

Question 7

Constant r (growth rate) significance

Answer 7

Will have a graph that looks exponential

Question 8

Intraspecific Competition

Answer 8

Within-species competition.

Same species

Question 9

Interspecific Competition

Answer 9

Between-species competition.

Question 10

Density

Answer 10

Number of individuals per unit area or volume.

Question 11

Carrying Capacity

Answer 11

The maximum number of individuals a habitat can support.

Question 12

Ideal Population Age Structure

Answer 12

Ideal population structure has a balanced age distribution.

Question 13

Demography

Answer 13

The study of the size, structure, and distribution of populations over time.

Question 14

Cohort

Answer 14

A group of individuals born at a given time.

Question 15

Survivorship patterns

Answer 15

Patterns of survivorship vary among organisms.

Type 1: Humans and large mammals
Type 2: Small mammals and birds
Type 3: Fish, frogs, herbaceous plants

Question 16

Reproductive Patterns

Answer 16

Reproductive patterns reflect the predictability of a species’ environment.

Species in unpredictable environments may have many young with little parental investment.

Question 17

Evolutionary Tradeoff

Answer 17

Investment in either many inexpensive young or few well-provisioned offspring.

Ex. Larger vs. smaller eggs
Larger offspring may be better at fighting predators.
Smaller eggs = higher chance of survival as eggs can be spread out.

Question 18

Metapopulation

Answer 18

A group of populations linked by immigrants.

travel through corridors

Question 19

Adaptive Radiation

Answer 19

Speciation due to a large ecological or morphological diversity.

Occurs when organisms adapt to different ecological niches.

Question 20

Ecological Island

Answer 20

A habitat “island” surrounded by uninhabitable areas.

Question 21

Density independent vs density dependent factors

Answer 21

Independent: Natural disasters, weather

Dependent: Food availability, predator density, disease risk