L6 Population Dynamics and Natural selection in Ecology Flashcards
Incidence
Rate of new cases in a population.
Prevalence
Proportion of infected individuals in a population.
Reproductive Rate
Average number of infections caused by one individual.
SIR Model
Susceptible-Infected-Recovered model for disease spread.
SIS Model
Susceptible-Infected-Susceptible model without immunity.
Epidemiology
Study of disease prevalence and distribution.
Population Ecology
Study of population size and changes over time.
Lotka-Volterra Equations
Mathematical model describing predator-prey dynamics.
Predator-Prey Cycle
Fluctuations in populations of predators and prey.
Bottom-Up Model
Population control driven by resource availability.
Top-Down Model
Population control driven by predation or disease.
Social Behaviour Model
Influence of social interactions on population dynamics.
Chronic Stress
Long-term physiological stress affecting reproduction.
Hare Population Density
Number of hares per unit area over time.
Predator Exclusion
Removing predators to study population effects.
Food Supplementation
Adding food to test its impact on populations.
Cortisol Level
Physiological measure of stress in organisms.
Boreal Forest Food Web
Ecological network influencing hare population dynamics.
Empirical Evidence
Data collected through observation and experimentation.
Population Regulation
Mechanisms that maintain population sizes over time.
Hare-Lynx Dynamics
Interdependent population changes of hares and lynxes.
Kluane Lake
Study site for hare and lynx population research.
Mean Survival Rate
Average likelihood of survival across populations.
Energy Flow
Transfer of energy through a food web.
Population Change
Alterations in species numbers over time.
Keystone Species
Species whose population impacts ecosystem structure.
Lotka Volterra Equations
Mathematical model describing predator-prey interactions.
Snowshoe Hare
A keystone species affected by predation.
Canadian Lynx
Predator whose population is driven by food availability.
Natural Selection
Process where advantageous traits increase survival.
Darwin’s Voyage
Observation of species differences in the Galapagos.
Artificial Selection
Human-driven breeding for specific traits.
Malthusian Theory
Population grows exponentially; resources grow linearly.
Darwinian Fitness
Genotype’s abundance change due to selection.
Phenotype
Observable traits of an organism.
Genotype
An organism’s genetic makeup.
Trait
Specific phenotypic characteristic like color.
Phenotypic Variation
Differences in observable traits among individuals.
Gene-Environment Interactions
Influence of environment on genetic expression.
Neodarwinism
Integration of natural selection and genetics.
Somatic Mutations
Genetic changes in non-germline cells causing cancer.
Tumor Cell Selection
Survival of resistant cancer cell mutations.
Damped Oscillations
Population cycles that gradually decrease in amplitude.
Myxomatosis
Disease that caused UK rabbit population crash.
Conservation Implications
Predator absence leads to herbivore overgrazing.
Experimental Interventions
Manipulations to test ecological hypotheses.
Variation
Differences among individuals in a population.
Inheritance
Transmission of traits from parents to offspring.
Competition
Struggle for limited resources among individuals.
Mutation
Random changes in genetic material.
