Factors affecting population size

Question 1

How can temperature affect population size?

Answer 1

E.g. When temperature is ideal for metabolic reactions to take place, not much energy is used up trying to maintain body temperature.

so more energy can be used for growth and reproduction- population size will increase.

Question 2

population size

Answer 2

Total number of organisms of one species in a habitat

Question 3

What is interspecific competition and intraspecific competition?

Answer 3

Interspecific- competition between different species for the same resources

intraspecific- competition within the same species for the same resources

Question 4

Why do grey squirrels have a better chance of survival than red squirrels?

Answer 4

Grey squirrels are larger and can store more fat over winter

Question 5

What is “carrying capacity”

Answer 5

The maximum stable population size of a species that an ecosystem can support.

Question 6

what is the initial suggested reason of why the population of snowshoe hare start to decline?

Answer 6

They decline because there might be too many of them for the amount of food available.

• which also furthers the decline due to predation from the lynx

Question 7

what is another factor that might affect predator-prey relationship:

Answer 7

• availability of food for prey