Lecture 5: Population ecology: the fundamentals of population growth

Question 1

what are population dynamics?

Answer 1

how population size changes over time

Question 2

why is studying population dynamics important?

Answer 2

help us understand competition between predation and how predators and preys compete for resources

Question 3

What is geometric growth formula? how does it increase? what type of reproduction is it suitable for? what the condition for lambda?

Answer 3

N (t )= N0 λ^t

increase by a constant factors each time step

suitable for episodic reproduction

discontinuous growth rate when lambda is greater than 1

Question 4

What is the appearance of exponential growth. r?

Answer 4

smooth function when r (intrinsic growth rate) is greater than 1

Question 5

density dependence

Answer 5

Change in the birth and death rate of a population as a result of changes in population density; usually in the form of increased mortality rate and decreased fecundity as density increases

Question 6

logistic growth shape

Answer 6

S shape

Question 7

what are pros of logistic model (3)

Answer 7

mathematical model of the intraspecific competition between species

simple

-used for multiple species

Question 8

What are the cons of logistic growth (3)

Answer 8

Too simple specifies one specific kind of density dependence

Always gradual approach to carry capacity

In reality density dependence is nonlinear and May see overshoots of K