Life Science Grade 11(Population Ecology) Flashcards
What is population ecology?
The study of how populations interact with their environment.
True or False: Population ecology focuses on the study of individual organisms within a population.
False
What is a population?
A group of organisms of the same species living in the same area.
What factors can affect population size?
Birth rate, death rate, immigration, and emigration.
Define carrying capacity.
The maximum number of individuals of a species that an environment can support.
What is population density?
The number of individuals of a species per unit area.
What is a limiting factor?
A factor that limits the growth of a population.
What is exponential growth?
Population growth at a constant rate of increase per unit of time.
What is logistic growth?
Population growth that levels off as resources become limited.
What is an example of a density-independent factor?
Natural disasters.
What is an example of a density-dependent factor?
Competition for resources.
What is a pioneer species?
The first species to colonize a newly disturbed area.
What is a climax community?
A stable, mature community that undergoes little or no change.
What is the difference between a r-strategist and a K-strategist?
R-strategists reproduce quickly and have many offspring, while K-strategists reproduce slowly and have few offspring.
What is a biotic factor?
A living factor that influences an organism.
What is an abiotic factor?
A non-living factor that influences an organism.
What is the difference between immigration and emigration?
Immigration is the movement of individuals into a population, while emigration is the movement of individuals out of a population.
What is the difference between a population and a community?
A population consists of individuals of the same species, while a community consists of populations of different species living together.
What is a keystone species?
A species that has a disproportionately large effect on its environment relative to its abundance.
What is the difference between intraspecific competition and interspecific competition?
Intraspecific competition is competition between individuals of the same species, while interspecific competition is competition between individuals of different species.
What is the importance of studying population ecology?
To understand how populations change over time and how they interact with their environment.
What is a population pyramid?
A graphical illustration that shows the distribution of various age groups in a population.
What is the demographic transition model?
A model that describes the transition from high birth and death rates to low birth and death rates in a population.
What is the difference between density-dependent and density-independent factors?
Density-dependent factors affect populations based on their density, while density-independent factors affect populations regardless of their density.
