Population Dynamics

Question 1

What is a population?

Answer 1

A group of organisms of the same species occupying a particular space at a particular time.

Question 2

What are the primary parameters for population attributes?

Answer 2

-density
-birth rate
-death rate
-immigration
-emigration

Question 3

What are the secondary parameters of population attributes?

Answer 3

-age distribution
-sex ratio
-genetic composition

Question 4

What is Biotic potential?

Answer 4

The maximum rate at which a population could increase.

Question 5

When can biotic potential occur?

Answer 5

When conditions are ideal, with maximum birth rates (potential fecundity) and minimum death rates (potential longevity)

Question 6

What is environmental resistance?

Answer 6

Factors in the living and non-living environment that limit population growth

Question 7

What factors affect environmental resistance?

Answer 7

-space
-food availability
- predation pressure
-competition

Question 8

What is a population age structure?

Answer 8

It refers to the number of individuals alive at each age

Question 9

What data is needed to make population size predictions?

Answer 9

• age structure
• age specific birth and death rates

Question 10

What are the three types of survivorship patterns?

Answer 10

-Type 1 (highest mortality of oldest age classes)
-Type 2 (constant mortality rate)
-Type 3 (high mortality of youngest age classes)

Question 11

How is the Net Reproductive (R0) rate of a population calculated?

Answer 11

Combining the mortality and fertility data