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Biology 101 > Population Ecology > Flashcards

Population Ecology Flashcards

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1
Q

describes where individuals of a species might potentially be located.

(In the United states, most species have a range of 4-24 states.)

A

Geographic Range

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2
Q

These species are an extreme, they are worldwide in distribution.

A

Cosmopolitan

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3
Q

species found in only a small, restricted area, they represent the other side of the spectrum.

A

Endemic

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4
Q

Factors Determining the Geographic Range of a Species

A

History
Biological Tolerances
Other Species
A combination of the above

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5
Q

Why can’t palm trees present where winter temperatures regularly go below freezing?

A

The meristems are at the top of the trunk, not tolerant of freezing

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6
Q

What other reasons explain why palm trees are near beaches and in micronenvironments?

A

They compete well in moist environments. Seeds are water dispersed.

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7
Q

Many species have what is called a “Gondwanan” distribution. They occur in the Southern continents of Australia, South Africa, South America, and sometimes India.
These places are far away from each other now, but 150 million years ago, they were all linked together in a massive continent.

What is this an example of?

A

Historical Factors Determining Geographic Range

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8
Q

Populations arise when….

A

Discontinuities in suitable habit for a species restricts the movement of individuals

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9
Q

consequences of the way an organism interacts with the environment, and with other organisms, and influence its evolution

A

Emergent properties

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10
Q

Simply the number of individuals in the population at any given time. Sometimes called abundance.

A

Size

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11
Q

The number of individuals in the population per unit area or unit volume.
For many organisms this measure, rather than its actual numbers, exerts a real effect on the organism.

A

Density

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12
Q

Patterns of Dispersion

A

Clumped
Regular
Random

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13
Q

The most common pattern of dispersion, occurs because some areas of habitat are more suitable than others
ex:salamanders in numbers under fallen logs

A

Clumping

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14
Q

Why do plants often clump?

A

Because seeds fall close to parent plant

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15
Q

What are other reasons why a species may clump?

A

Safety of social reasons

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16
Q

This pattern occurs in the absence of strong attraction or repulsion among individuals.
It is uncommon.

A

Random Distribution

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17
Q

This generally happens because of interactions between individuals in the population, like competition, territoriality, and human intervention

A

Regular Distribution

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18
Q

Creosote bushes in the Mojave desert are uniformly distributed because competition for water among the root systems of different plants prohibits the establishment of individuals that are too close to others.

A

Competition

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19
Q

The desert lizard Uta sp. maintains somewhat regular distribution via fighting and territorial behavior

A

Territoriality

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20
Q

I.e. ., the spacing of crops

A

Human Intervention

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21
Q

This is the relative number of individuals at different ages

A

Age Structure

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22
Q

is the proportion of individuals of each sex. The number of females is more important in the overall growth rate of populations
Examples: elk; fewer males of reproductive age than females; males breed with more than one female.

A

Sex Ratio

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23
Q

differences among individuals in the population

A

Variability

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24
Q

Most populations show differences among individuals.
Some variation has a genetic basis.
Other variation is largely environmental.
In many cases, variability is caused by both genes and the environment

A

Word

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25
Q

Variability that occurs when the two sexes differ greatly in appearance

A

Sexual Dimorphism

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26
Q

Variability that occurs when individuals differ in appearnace because of a dramatic transformation as they age

A

Metamorphisis

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27
Q

Many organisms that exist as interwoven collections of subpopulations

A

metapopulations

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28
Q

exhibit their own dynamics, with localized extinction, and recolonization of unoccupied areas of suitable habitat, determining their dynamics.

A

Metapopulations

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29
Q

This is probably the best, simple, model of population growth…it predicts the rate of growth, or decay, of any population where the per capita rates of growth and death are constant over time

A

Exponential Growth

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30
Q

Formula for exponential growth

A

Nf = Ni(e^rt)

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31
Q

Can a population continue growing forever?

A

No, they would outstrip their resources

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32
Q

this is the maximum number of individuals a given environment can sustain.

A

Carrying capacity

33
Q

Resources that are rare enough to inhibit a species’ reproduction so that the population no longer grows.
ex) light, water, nesting sites, prey, nutrients

A

Limiting Resources

34
Q

Factor limiting populations that intensifies as the size of a population increases

A

Density-Dependent Factor

35
Q

Examples of this factor that limits populations includes suitable nesting sites for birds, competition for light and water amongst prairie grasses

A

Density Dependent Factor

36
Q

Factors limiting populations that are independent of population size

A

Density-Independent Factors

37
Q

Examples of this factor that limits populations includes winter temperatures

A

Density-Independent Factors

38
Q

growth model that accounts for carrying capacity

A

Logistic growth model

39
Q

Formula for logistical growth model

A

dN/dt= rmax*N(K-N)/K

NOTE: when k =n, dN/dT is equal to zero
When it is small, growth rate is approximately rmax
When N>K, population declines

40
Q

Does logistical growth model fit actual populations?

A

Only lab populations, not actual populations due to other factors like lag time.

41
Q

The time it takes between reaching carrying capacity and the slowdown in reproduction

Rapidly growing populations, or populations with lag time often overshoot K, and exhibit population cycles, or chaotic behavior

A

Lag Time

42
Q

the study of the age structure and growth of populations. It is, essentially, the study of birth, reproduction, and death, as it relates to populations.

A

Demography

43
Q

was a famous early demographer/economist.
In his Essay on the Principal of population, 1798, he was the first to reach the conclusion that human populations tended to grow until they outstripped their available food supply.

A

Thomas Malthus

44
Q

count every individual in the population

A

complete enumeration

45
Q

count individuals in many small portions of the area (e.g., quadrats) then calculate density
mark and recapture
index of relative abundance (e.g., pheremone baited insect traps, camera traps)

A

Sample the population

46
Q

A person’s chance of death

A

Life Tables

47
Q

a group of organisms born at the same time.

A

Cohort

48
Q

The variable that can estimate population growth or decline using life tables

the sum of l(x)m(x) for the entire lifespan, estimates the number of female offspring produced per female.

A

R0

49
Q

R0>1, R0<0, R0=1

A

Increase, decline, stable

50
Q

traces the decline of a group of newborns over time.

A

Survivorship curves

51
Q

plot the probability of surviving to a certain age for a representative member of the population.
They sometimes differ from male vs. female.
Different populations might have different

A

Survivorship curves

52
Q

A convex curve. Most individuals live to adulthood with most mortality occurring during old age. I.e., humans, red deer, elephants.

A

Type I

53
Q

A straight line. An individual’s chance of dying is independent of its age. I.e., small birds and mammals.

A

Type II

54
Q

A concave curve, few individuals live to adulthood, with the chance of dying decreasing with age. I.e., oysters, redwood trees, snapping turtles.

A

Type III

55
Q

is the proportion of individuals at different ages.

It has a significant impact on future population growth.

A

Age distribution

56
Q

Populations that have remained constant for a long time have what type of age distributions?

A

Stable

57
Q

Rapidly growing populations have a disproportionate number of young individuals.

A

True

58
Q

many older people, fewer young people. Populations of some countries will decrease in the future.

A

Europeans and Japanese

59
Q

many young people, fewer old people populations will increase in the future.

A

Africa, Near east

60
Q

When is m(x), or age specific fecundity highest in humans?

A

20 yr olds.

61
Q

When are death rates highest?

A

Babies and old age.

62
Q

Are death rates in U.S. higher or lower than guatemala, mexico, and most of developing world?

A

Higher

63
Q

the timing of an organisms reproduction and death

A

Life history

64
Q

how many offspring an organism produces that are ultimately able to produce their own offspring.

A

Fitness

65
Q

Why is there a trade-off between survivorship and reproduction?

A

Reproduction is dangerous, involves resources for growth/maintenance

66
Q

Life histories have evolved to maximize an organisms expected fitness

A

Ya

67
Q

is one large reproductive effort (most insects, annual plants). Examples, grasshoppers, mayflies, octupi and squids Agave.

A

Semelparity

68
Q

is fewer offspring and many reproductive episodes. Example, perennial plants, most large mammals, sharks, most birds such as gulls and terns.

A

Iteroparity

69
Q

the number of offspring produced per reproductive episode.

A

Clutch size

70
Q

expend all their resources on a single clutch.

A

Semelparous organisms

71
Q

must save some resources for growth and survival.

A

Iteroparity

72
Q

Clutch size varies depending on…

A

Resource availability

73
Q

As an organism ages, it has more resources available to it. So more resources later means?

A

More offspring.

74
Q

Reproduce earlier means?

A

Less offspring.

75
Q

Larger organisms reach reproductive age faster or slower?

A

Slower

76
Q

an adaptation by which an organism may potentially increase the survivorship of its offspring.
It comes at a cost to the parents, however, and results in fewer offspring because resources must be conserved

A

Parental Care

77
Q

Birds providing varying or similar amounts of parental care?

A

Varying.

78
Q

hatch and are able to fend for themselves immediately. Eggs are often laid in warm environments, and parents do not incubate them. In theory, this means more time to forage .

A

Superprecocial Birds

79
Q

such as passerines and parrots. Young are born blind and require constant parental care, after a period of egg incubation.

A

Superaltrical birds.

Biology 101 (13 decks)

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