Chapter 52 Flashcards
Population ecology
The study of how and why the number of individuals in a population changes over time
Population
A group of individuals of the same species that live in the same area at the same time
Immigration
Occurs when individuals enter a population by moving from another population
Emigration
Occurs when individuals leave a population to join another population
Demography
The study of factors that determine the size and structure of populations through time.
Generation
The average time between the mothers first offspring and her daughters first offspring
Life table
A data set that summarizes the probability that an individual in a certain population will survive and reproduce in any given year over the course of its lifetime
Logistic population growth
The density dependent decrease in growth rate as a population size approaches the carrying capacity.
Life history
The sequence of events in an individual’s life from birth to reproduction to death, including how individual allocates resources to growth, reproduction, and activities or structures that are related to survival.
Meta population
A population made up of many small physically isolated populations
Net reproductive rate
The growth rate of a population per generation; equivalent to the average number of female offspring that each female produces over her lifetime.
Population density
The number of individuals of a population per-unit area.
Population dynamics
Changes in the size and other characteristics of populations through time
Replacement rate
The number of offspring each female must produce over her entire life to replace herself and her mate, resulting in zero population growth. The actual number is slightly more than two because some offspring die before reproducing.
Age structure
The proportion of individuals in a population that are of each possible age.
Age-specific fecundity
The average number of female offspring produced by a female in a certain age class
Carrying capacity
The maximum population size of a certain species that a given habitat can support.
Cohort
A group of individuals that are the same age and can be followed through time
Density dependent
In population ecology, referring to any characteristics that varies depending on population density.
Density independent
In population ecology, referring to any characteristics that does not vary with population density.
Age class
All the individuals of a specific age in a population
Exponential population growth
The accelerated increase in the size of a population that occurs when the growth rate is constant and density independent.
Fecundity
The average number of female offspring produced by a single female in the course of her life time
Finite rate of increase
The rate of increase of a population over a given period of time. Calculated as the ending population size divided by the starting population size.
