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Ecology > Population Ecology > Flashcards

Population Ecology Flashcards

1
Q

What are the earliest historical records of population ecology?

A

Leonardo Fibonacci “counted” rabbits (12th century)

Thomas Malthus “counted” people

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2
Q

What is the term for a group of interacting individuals of the same species?

A

Population

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3
Q

Define Population:

A

A group of interacting individuals of the same species

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4
Q

What are some examples of modern (1800’s - 1920’s) population ecology?

A
  • population dynamics of agricultural pests
  • population spread of invasive species (how the populations change throughout space)
  • fisheries (management of fish)
  • game species (hunting)
  • conservation (species are going extinct)
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5
Q

A foundational element of population ecology found in the 1920’s used _____ to describe populations and how they change over time

A

mathematics (and some physicists)

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6
Q

Why should we study populations?

A
  1. Manage natural populations
  2. Help understanding diseases and epidemics
  3. Help anticipate changes associated with changing climate
  4. Understanding human population dynamics
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7
Q

______ models are foundational to population ecology

A

Mathematical

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8
Q

What is an organism’s life history?

A

A record of major events relating to its growth, development, reproduction, and survival

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9
Q

T/F life histories vary tremendously from one species to the next

A

True

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10
Q

Define endangered species

A

Any species which is in danger of extinction through all or a significant portion of its range.

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11
Q

What Act protects endangered species?

A

United States Endangered Species Act (1973)

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12
Q

Define Life History Traits

A

Adaptations that influence growth, development, survivorship, and a variety of reproductive parameters for individuals of a particular species

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13
Q

Define resource allocation

A

The quantity of key resources, such as energy and nutrients, that a parent can devote to reproduction.

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14
Q

What are the two contrasting forms of natural selection?

A

r- selection and K-selection

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15
Q

What does r stand for in r-selection?

A

per capita growth rate

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16
Q

What does the per capita growth rate measure?

A

how fast the population can grow

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17
Q

What are species with high reproductive rates that are most successful in unpredictable environments. (environments recently disturbed due to fires or floods)

A

r-selected species

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18
Q

Why are r-selected species successful in unpredictable environments?

A

These species favor rapid development, reproduction at an early age, and the potential to produce a large number of offspring at rapid intervals.

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19
Q

What does the K in K-selection stand for?

A

carrying capacity

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20
Q

Define carrying capacity:

A

The maximum population size that can be supported or sustained by the environment

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21
Q

What kind of individuals do k-selected species favor?

A

Individuals that compete effectively for resources in predictable and stable environments. These tend to have populations at or near carrying capacity

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22
Q

K- selected species tend to have _______ competitive ability than r-selected species.

A

greater

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23
Q

What kind of characteristics would be found in K-selected species?

A
  • large body size
  • parents that channel resources into the production of a few large offspring that can survive and reproduce in a highly competitive environment
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24
Q

Does the dichotomy of an r and k selected species hold up across a range of species?

A

No, for example bats are some of the smallest animal species but they give birth to an individual bat one at a time, whom they lavish with large amounts of parental care.
But in the case of pacific salmon, they are very large and have delayed reproduction.

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25
Q

Does the r vs k model apply to plants well?

A

No, they devised an alternative classification scheme.

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26
Q

What type of plant species are favored when there are limited resources

A

stress-tolerant species

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27
Q

What do disturbed sites, such as places where plant biomass may be destroyed by abiotic factors or biotic factors favor?

A

Ruderals (rapid colonizers)

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28
Q

Are these classification schemes valuable even if they don’t always work?

A

Yes. Because even when they fail they turn our attention to look more deeply into life history questions within ecology, this is also useful in assessing different tradeoffs in resource allocation that may not be obvious initially

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29
Q

Resting metabolic rate:

A

The amount of energy used by an organism over a given period of time while at rest in a thermally neutral environment.

(usually larger mass of an organism positively correlates with a higher resting metabolic rate– although this is true, the metabolic rate PER UNIT is actually lower in larger animals than smaller animals)

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30
Q

What is another term for life history trait?

A

fitness component

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31
Q

List some examples of life history traits

A
  • number and size of offspring
  • age and size at reproductive maturity
  • generation time
  • age, stage, or size specific reproductive effort
  • age, stage, or size specific rates of survival
  • lifespan
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32
Q

What is the principal of allocation?

A

Organisms have limited resources (nutrients, energy)

– allocate resources to life history traits

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33
Q

Resource allocation:

A

the quantity of key resources, such as energy and nutrients, that a parent can devote to offspring – this leads to trade-off between life history traits

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34
Q

What is meant by life history evolution?

A
  • An increase in one life history trait is linked to a decrease in another life history trait
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35
Q

Define iteroparous:

A

Having multiple reproductive events over the course of a lifetime (almost all mammals)

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36
Q

Define semelparous:

A

Having only one reproductive event over the course of a lifetime (pacific salmon)

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37
Q

What group of insects survived extreme semelparity in the textbook?

A

Periodical cicadas

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38
Q

Define predator saturation in terms of periodical cicadas:

A

a possible explanation as to why periodical cicadas survived. There are simply too many cicadas present in the area for predators to eat them all

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39
Q

Define fecundity:

A

average number of offspring produced

in plants this is the number of seeds produced, in mammals this is the number of eggs

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40
Q

Describe the fecundity advantage of semelparity:

A

Semelparous plants had higher mean fecundity

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41
Q

Define reproductive effort:

A

The amount of resources an organism allocates to a reproductive event

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42
Q

Define demography:

A

the quantitative study of the size and structure of populations, and of how populations change over time

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43
Q

What do demographers study?

A

Factors that influence changes in population size, including developmental rates and mortality rates

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44
Q

Define phenotypic plasticity:

A

An ability to change phenotypes in response to different environments

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45
Q

What does the reproductive model of iteroparous and semelparous reproduction explain?

A

Iteroparity is favored.

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46
Q

What does the demographic model explain?

A

Conditions under natural selection should favor semelparity:

  1. long time to acquire resources for one reproductive event
  2. low probability of surviving until the next reproductive event
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47
Q

Define phenotypic plasticity:

A

The ability of a single genotype to produce different phenotypes in response to different environments

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48
Q

Reaction norm:

A

This describes the plasticity of a single genotype

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49
Q

T/F

We expect higher phenotypic plasticity in varying and unpredictable environments

A

True

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50
Q

Define recruitment:

A

The addition of new individuals to the population

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51
Q

Define dispersion:

A

Spatial pattern of distribution of individuals within a population

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52
Q

What are the 3 patterns of dispersion?

A
  • random
  • uniform (regular)
  • clumped (most common)
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53
Q

What are the characteristics of random dispersion?

A
  • Each individual has an equal probability of occupying any given space in the habitat
  • Random dispersion are unusual in the natural world
  • The location of one individual is independent of the location of another individual
  • neutral interactions between individuals
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54
Q

What are the characteristics of a uniform (or regular) dispersion?

A
  • Individuals tend to avoid other individuals with the result that they are spaced more evenly than in a random dispersion
  • This is usually caused due to some sort of territorial interaction (remember that no dispersion is ever completely uniform)
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55
Q

What are the characteristics of a clumped dispersion?

A
  • This is usually due to a shared attraction to either each other (in a species) or the same habitat and resources
  • This is also the most common form of dispersion
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56
Q

Spatial distribution occurs over _____ ______

A

nested scales

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57
Q

What is the area that encompasses the entire spatial distribution of a species?

A

Geographic range

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58
Q

What are the two types of spatial distribution?

A

Cosmopolitan species

Endemic species

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59
Q

What does cosmopolitan spatial distribution describe?

A

Geographically widespread species (rock dove that is found almost all over the world)

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60
Q

What does endemic spatial distribution describe?

A

Geographically localized species (red-ruffed lemur that is only found in madagascar)

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61
Q

Where will you find hot spots of high endemism?

A

Places such as the himalayas, hawaii, ivory coast, chile that have been geographically separated for a long time

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62
Q

What do we need to have to be able to measure the population of an area?

A

the abundance and density of an area

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63
Q

Define abundance:

A

The total number of individuals of a species present in a specified area

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64
Q

Define density:

A

of individuals in an area

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65
Q

South american sea lions are an example of

A

males and females having different dispersion patterns. and temperatures and how they can change throughout the day

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66
Q

Distribution, density, and dispersion all depend on what?

A

spatial scale

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67
Q

Define dispersal:

A

The movement of individuals from one location to another location

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68
Q

Migration:

A

The back and forth movement (intentional) of individuals between two locations

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69
Q

T/F insects survive the entire migratory trip

A

false, spring migration is much smaller than the initial fall migration

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70
Q

What type of study was performed on monarch butterflies?

A

Mark recapture study

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71
Q

Monarch butterflies depend on ________

A

milkweed

72
Q

Early milkweed availability is correlated with ________

A

early migration

73
Q

Dispersal affects range _______ and _______

A

expansion; contraction

74
Q

What does % persistence mean

A

percent of former range still occupied

75
Q

what does % expansion mean

A

percent of former range that has been expanded

76
Q

what does % contraction mean

A

percent of former range that has been lost

77
Q

what is the formula for % net change

A

% expansion - % contraction

78
Q

What aspects of Mexico’s Neovolcanic Belt make it an ideal destination for fall monarch migration

A

low but not freezing minimum air temperatures

79
Q

How are plants dispersed?

A

By seeds (the only time they move in their life)

80
Q

What are some abiotic factors that plants use to disperse seeds?

A

air
water
wind

81
Q

What are some biotic factors that plants use to disperse seeds?

A

Birds, monkeys, bats, Humans

82
Q

How do we measure seed dispersal?

A

Hard to quantify in general, but we are able to put up seed traps, this tells us where seeds go but no where they came from or how they got there. – assumptions are made

    • we can also track animals through the forest using handheld telemetry, we then understand how the animals are moving within the environment
  • also need to know gut retention time of the animal
  • we can also place trackers on the seed itself
83
Q

______ is the most important influence on terrestrial distributions

A

climate

84
Q

compensating for environmental variation is metabolically costly, this poses limits on the _____ of the species

A

distribution

85
Q

ecological performance is defined by:

A

survival, growth, reproduction, distribution and abundance of species

86
Q

What does the niagara escarpment highlight for ecologists?

A

That adjacent habitats can experience dramatically different climatic conditions, which can influence the species that make up the ecological community

87
Q

What plays a major role in the distribution of marine animals?

A

light

88
Q

Which UV radiation is more damaging? UVA or UVB

A

UVB (wavelengths of 290-320 nm) thus proven false later because of the oceans ability to screen out uv radiation that can be damaging

This is hypothesized to be because the light under field conditions might stimulate DNA repairs mechanisms that offset some of the UVB damage to the Kelp’s DNA>

89
Q

Is the ocean an effective screen against UVB radiation?

A

Yes

90
Q

Many prairie grasses have ____ ______ at or below the surface that can grow into new shoots following a fire

A

meristematic tissue

91
Q

What is another adaptation to fire?

A

Serotiny, serotinous plants retain their seeds in the canopy for many years after the seeds mature and release them after exposure to heat (such as a fire)

92
Q

Define nurse plants:

A

plants that provide a microenvironment that is conducive to saguaro survival during the early stage of life.

93
Q

The three important nurse plants for saguaros are the _____, ______, and _______-

A

palo verde tree
the triangle leaf bursage
the mesquite tree

94
Q

Naturalists observed an association with ______ and nurse plants

A

saguaros

95
Q

Research by Drezner and Garrity demonstrated that saguaro distribution is not only associated with the absence of extreme cold but also with _____ ______

A

nurse plants

96
Q

Define invasive species:

A

A non-native species that is introduced into a new habitat and that often adversely affects numerous species in the new habitat

97
Q

Define ecological niche:

A

Set of environmental conditions and patterns of resource availability in which a species can survive, grow, and reproduce

98
Q

T/F nurse plants provide less extreme thermal microenvironment below saguaros to protect them in early stages of life

A

True

99
Q

T/F South side of saguaros stay warmer than the north side

A

true

100
Q

Which of these is true of an r-selected species?

A

They are most successful in unpredictable environments

101
Q

Almost all mammals are ______

A

Iteroparous

102
Q

According to the demographic model, natural selection should favor semelparity under which two conditions?

A
  • in plants that require a long time to gather enough resources to reproduce
  • in plants with a low probability of surviving to the next reproductive event
103
Q

Describe phenotypic plasticity:

A

One genotype producing different phenotypes in different environments

104
Q

What is the most common type of dispersion found in nature?

A

Clumped

105
Q

What is dispersal?

A

The movement of individuals from one location to another

106
Q

Why are mammals excellent for studying distribution

A

Many non-scientists want to see them and are happy to report their sightings

107
Q

The factor with the most important influence on terrestrial species distribution is ________

A

climate

108
Q

In the study of nurse plants and saguara cacti, researches found that:

A

Nurse plants provided thermal protection to saguaros

109
Q

A species niche consists of:

A

All environmental conditions that permit a species to exist

110
Q

According to the resource hypothesis, invasive spcies:

A

Experience a more ideal combination of resources in the new habitat

111
Q

T/F The distribution of a species is related to its niche

A

True

112
Q

saguaros prefer _____ soil types and cannot survive in _____ soil

A

coarse; fine

113
Q

Define fundamental niche:

A

The potential set of abiotic environmental conditions/resources in which species can grow, survive, and reproduce, in the absence of interactions with other species (this is seldom observed)

114
Q

Define realized niche:

A

The potential set of abiotic environmental conditions/resources in which species can grow, survive, and reproduce in the presence of interactions with other species (competitors and predators)

115
Q

What is the difference between the fundamental and realized niche?

A

The presence of biotic factors is found only in the realized niche

116
Q

The rainbow melt is an _______ fish

A

anadromous

spends most of its life at sea and moves to freshwater to breed

117
Q

T/F because of the migratory patterns during mating and human interaction, the rainbow smelt have adapted new habitats and increased their niche.

A

True

118
Q

Lakes with smelt tended to have ______ phosphorus levels and ______ disturbance values

A

lower; lower

119
Q

T/F a species distribution is dynamic and our evaluation of its niche based on the distribution will always be imperfect

A

True

120
Q

What is likely to happen to fundamental niches as global temperature increases?

A

Shifts in niche space

121
Q

T/F range expansion of invasive species is a global challenge

A

True

122
Q

What are the size ideal population characteristics?

A
  • distinct individuals
  • nonmotile individuals
  • small geographic range
  • large individuals
  • small population size
  • friendly environment
123
Q

Define distinct individuals:

A

Possible to distinguish an individual from others

124
Q

Define nonmotile individuals:

A

Individuals that can’t escape being counted or wont get counted multiple times

125
Q

Define small geographic range:

A

Great distances don’t need to be traverse for an accurate count

126
Q

Large individuals:

A

Individuals can be seen

127
Q

Small population size:

A

It is possible to count all the individuals accurately

128
Q

Friendly environment:

A

Humans can spend enough time in the environment for accurate censusing

129
Q

Define unitary organisms:

A

Each individual is a unit, and presumably easy to count

130
Q

Define modular organisms:

A

Develop and undetermined number of repeated copies of similar structures.

131
Q

what is the formula for calculating population size in unitary organisms?

A

number of individuals in the sample / estimated probability of detection

132
Q

Quadrat sampling is used to estimate population size for easy to count ______ organisms

A

unitary

133
Q

define sessile:

A

fixed in one place (thus making organisms easier to count)

134
Q

Define quadrats:

A

sampling areas

135
Q

Why do modular organisms make it difficult to define an individual?

A

They have an undetermined number of copies of similar structures

136
Q

Accumulation curve analysis is used for organisms that are:

A

Dangerous, endangered or elusive

137
Q

In cases where there is no obvious unit that can be counted, ecologists may measure the ______ or ____ ___ of the organism

A

biomass; dry weight

although these are invasive

138
Q

Which of the following methods of measuring population size of modular organisms, like fungi, is both noninvasive and may rely exclusively on quadrat analysis using digital cameras?

A

Measuring percent cover,

Digital cameras can be taken of the quadrat, and the percent cover can be evaluated by a computer analysis of the image

139
Q

What does discrete population life histories mean?

A

Species produce offspring at discrete time intervals, usually during a specific season

140
Q

What does continuous reproduction life histories mean?

A

Individuals have the potential to reproduce at any time during the year.
(humans fit this)

141
Q

Seed bank:

A

Where many annual plants may shed their young embryos in the soil whee they may accumulate over several years before germinating

142
Q

The gray wolf, canis lupus, is an example of a species with a ______ reproductive life history

A

discrete

143
Q

T/F The geometric growth model assumes that the changes yearly are the same

A

True

> 1 growing
1 stable
<1 shrinking

144
Q

Which species have continuous reproductive life histories?

A

Bacteria

145
Q

Define the exponential growth model:

A

This model uses differences between birth rates and death rates to project changes in population size.

146
Q

r:

A

per capita growth rate

147
Q

intrinsic growth rate:

A

growth rate when there is no competition or predation

148
Q

Define metapopulation:

A

a group of local populations inhabiting networks of somewhat discrete habitat patches

149
Q

Define population density:

A

The number of individuals per unit area

150
Q

Density independent factors:

A

Factors that will influence the population growth rates the same way regardless of population density

151
Q

List some examples of density independent factors:

A

temperature, moisture, unpredictable disturbances, storms, mudslides, rock falls

152
Q

Density dependent factors:

A

reduce population growth rates as population density increases

153
Q

Examples of density-dependent factors:

A

disease and competition

154
Q

Recruitment:

A

the stage of a plants life when it transitions from a seed to an established seedling

155
Q

carrying capacity

A

signified as K: maximum population size that can be supported or sustained by the environment

156
Q

As population increases, we wish to _____ the value of dn/dt, so that population growth rate ____ as population nears the carrying capacity, and population growth rate _____

A

decrease; slow; stops

157
Q

as population size increases, the unused portion of the cc _____

A

decreases

158
Q

Population size (N) is stable when

A

n=k

159
Q

paramecium ______ the logistic growth model

A

support

160
Q

The majority of ugandas population is _______

A

younger

161
Q

Define population viability analysis:

A

the quantitative analysis of extinction risk that allows ecologists to recommend management options to improve the prognosis for continued survival of a population

162
Q

single site PVA’s apply to

A

a single population

163
Q

Count based PVA’s apply yo

A

populations at multiple points of time

164
Q

What is the key to PVA’s

A

all individuals are assumed to be equivalent toe ach other in characteristics such as age and survival and reproduction

165
Q

the allee effect predicts that

A

very low density populations have a lower per capita population growth

166
Q

r0 is the:

A

net reproductive rate

167
Q

Which of the following is a key component of connectivity (with respect to colonization) by Hanski and colleagues?

A

distance from population to focal patch.

168
Q

Metapopulation:

A

a population broken into sets of sub populations held together by dispersal or movements of individuals among them ( a population of populations )

169
Q

Larger patches:

A
  • contain larger population size
  • more diverse habitat
  • lower emigration
170
Q

Higher patch density:

A
  • more immigration from nearby patches –> lower extinction rates
171
Q

Why are small populations more prone to extinction?

A
  • lower genetic diversity
  • more prone to chance fluctuations
  • alee effect: low density populations may have lower per capita population growth rate r
172
Q

connectivity influences _____ rates

A

colonization

173
Q

as connectivity increases, colonization exponentially _______

A

increases

174
Q

human mediated effect examples:

A
  • habitat fragmentation
  • habitat destruction and degradation
  • non native species
175
Q

enemy release hypothesis:

A
  • invasive plants will have more pathogens in native range
176
Q

EICA hypothesis:

A

evolution of increased competitive ability

Ecology (3 decks)

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