Honor Bio 2.2 Flashcards
What are the four primary factors that determine population growth?
Birth rate, death rate, immigration, and emigration.
How do you sketch an exponential growth graph?
Draw a curve that starts slow, rapidly increases, and has no upper limit (J-shaped curve).
How do you sketch a logistic growth graph?
Start with a slow increase, then a rapid increase, followed by a plateau as it approaches the carrying capacity (S-shaped curve).
Where is population growth highest in exponential growth?
At the early stages when the population is small and resources are abundant.
Where is population growth highest in logistic growth?
When the population size is approximately half of the carrying capacity (K).
What does the variable N represent in growth models?
The current population size.
What does the variable N0 represent?
The initial population size at time t = 0.
What does the variable r denote in population models?
The intrinsic rate of population growth (per capita growth rate).
What does the variable t represent in population models?
Time.
What does the variable K stand for?
The carrying capacity of the environment (maximum sustainable population size).
What does dN/dt signify in population dynamics?
The change in population size (N) over time (t); the rate of population growth.
What are density-dependent limiting factors?
Factors that affect population growth based on population density (ex: competition, predation).
What are density-independent limiting factors?
Factors that affect population growth regardless of population density (ex: natural disasters, weather).
How does increasing r affect the exponential growth model and why?
Increasing r leads to faster population growth. The steeper the J-curve becomes, the faster the population grows.
What happens to the logistic growth curve if K is lowered, and why?
The maximum number of animals will be decreased due to lack of resources.
