Population Ecology

Question 1

define ecology

Answer 1

the study of interactions among ORGANISMS and BETWEEN organisms and their environments

Question 2

define habitat

Answer 2

specific environment where an organism lives (including living and no living elements: ROCKS, SOIL, PLANTS)

Question 3

define niche

Answer 3

the functional role of a species in a community (FEEDING, FLOW OF ENERGY & MATTER, INTERACTIONS W OFHER ORGANISMS ETC)

Question 4

define specialist

Answer 4

a species that can survive ONLY in a NARROW RANGE of habitats or depends on very specific resources

Question 5

define generalist

Answer 5

a species that can survive across a WIDE ARRAY of habitats or use a wide array of resources.

Question 6

define population

Answer 6

group of individuals of a SPECIES that live in a particular area

Question 7

what population features help predict dynamics?

Answer 7

• population size
• population DENSITY
• population DISTRIBUTION
• age structure
• sex ratio

Question 8

describe population size

Answer 8

number of individuals present at a given time

Question 9

describe population DISTRIBUTION

Answer 9

the spatial arrangement of individuals
- random
- uniform
- clumped

Question 10

types of pop distributions?

Answer 10

• random
• uniform
• clumped

Question 11

describe age structure

Answer 11

number of individuals of each age or age class in a POPULATION

young = growing; old = declining

Question 12

what is the most common sex ratio in pops?

Answer 12

50/50

Question 13

what is population growth determined by?

Answer 13

1. births
2. deaths
3. immigration
4. emigration

Question 14

what is the equation for growth rate?

Answer 14

(B-D) + (I-E)
——————
100

Question 15

describe an exponential growth graph

Answer 15

“J curve” r = growth rate/slope

Question 16

what limiting factors restrain growth?

Answer 16

1. water
2. space
3. food
4. predators
5. disease

Question 17

define carrying capacity

Answer 17

the MAX pop. size of a given species an ENVIRONMENT can sustain

Question 18

define logistic growth

Answer 18

INITIAL EXPONENTIAL GROWTH, sssssssslowing, & stabilizing & carrying capacity. (S CURVE GRAPH)

Question 19

what shape does a logistic graph have?

Answer 19

S curve shape (k = carrying capacity; N= pop size

Question 20

what accounts for logistic growth curves in environments?

Answer 20

density dependent factors (DISEASE, PREDATION ETC)

Question 21

what are density independent factors?

Answer 21

occur REGARDLESS OF DENSITY such as catastrophic weather events

Question 22

size = ?

Answer 22

N

Question 23

carrying capacity = ?

Answer 23

k

Question 24

define high biotic potential

Answer 24

species with MANY OFFSPRING (insects, fish, frogs, plants)

Question 25

define low biotic potential

Answer 25

species w FEW YOUNNG (mammals, birds, etc)

Question 26

insects have what type of biotic potential?

Answer 26

HIGH

Question 27

mammals have what type of biotic potential?

Answer 27

LOW

Question 28

describe type 1 survivorship curve

Answer 28

HIGH SURVIVAL YOUNG, declining old

Question 29

describe type 2 survivorship curve

Answer 29

mediate survival of all ages \

Question 30

describe type 3 survivorship curve

Answer 30

LOW SURVIVAL YOUNG, greater^^ survival OLD

Question 31

describe a k strategist species

Answer 31

• few offspring
• SLOW growing
• parental care

(LIKE HUMANS)

Question 32

describe an r strategist species

Answer 32

• many offspring
• FAST growing
• NO parental care

Question 33

populations tend to stabilize near what?

Answer 33

K (carrying capacity)