Population Ecology Flashcards
Define population
a group of individuals of a single species that occupy the same general area
Define population ecology
how populations change over time
Define population density
the number of individuals per unit area or volume
Name the dispersion patterns
clumped patterns: unequally distributed
uniform: equally distributed
random: unpredictable distributement
Describe the different types of survivorship curves
Type 1: parental care, long lifespan
Type 2: some parental care, die at any age
Tupe 3: little to no parental care, short lifespan
Exponential Growth Curve
Lots of resources
Formula: g= r x n
g: growth
r: rate of growth
n: population size
Logistic Growth Curve
Fewer resources
Carrying capacity: the maximum population size a particular environment can sustain
Density-dependent
declining births, increase in deaths
What are boom and bust cycles?
populations flucuate in density with regularity due to food shortages or predator-prey interactions
What are R-selected populations?
produce more offspring
grow rapidly in unpredictable movements
ex: rats
example of exponential growth curve
What are K-selected populations?
raise fewer offspring
maintain relatively stable populations
ex: elephants
example of a logistic growth curve
What is ecology footprint?
measure of resource consumption
