Population Ecology Vocabulary

Question 1

Parental investment

Answer 1

The time and energy spent on offspring.

Question 2

Population

Answer 2

A group of individuals of a single species that occupy the same gernal area.

Question 3

Population ecology

Answer 3

Concerned with changes in a population size and the factors that regulate populations over time.

Question 4

Population density

Answer 4

The number of individuals of a species per unit area or volume.

Question 5

Dispersion pattern

Answer 5

Refers to the way individuals are spaced within their area. (three types)

Question 6

Clumped dispersion pattern

Answer 6

Individuals in an area are grouped in patches; is the most common in nature.

Question 7

Uniform (even) dispersion pattern

Answer 7

When individuals are evenly spaced, and they are located at regular intervals. Often results from interactions between the individuals of a population.

Question 8

Random disperson pattern

Answer 8

Individuals in a population are spread in an unpredicted way without a pattern, and the location of each individual is self-determined. Randon dispersion is rare because of habitat conditions and social interactions.

Question 9

Population dynamics

Answer 9

The interactions between biotic and abiotic factors that cause variation in population sizes. Population growth is one important aspect of population dynamics.

Question 10

Sample plots

Answer 10

A sampling technique used to calculate population density.

Question 11

Life tables

Answer 11

Tracks survivorship, the chance of an individual in a given population surviving to various ages.

Question 12

Survivorship curves

Answer 12

Plots survivorship as the proportion of individuals from an initial population that are alive at each age.

Question 13

Type I survivorship curve

Answer 13

Produce few, well-earned offpsiring which increase the likelihood they reach maturity (ex. humans and many large mammals).

Question 14

Type II survivorship curve

Answer 14

Surviviorship is fairly constant (ex. some invertebrates, lizards, and rodents/squirrals).

Question 15

Type III survivorship curve

Answer 15

Produce large numbers of offspring, but do not care for them. Low survivorship (ex. many invertebrates like clams and grasshoppers, some fish, and turtles).

Question 16

Invertebrates

Answer 16

Lack a backbone (ex. clams, bugs, insects).

Question 17

Emigration

Answer 17

The process of individuals leaving an area.

Question 18

Immigration

Answer 18

The process of individuals moving into an area.

Question 19

Exponential growth

Answer 19

Rapid growth in a population’s size due to unlimited resources and ideal conditions (G=rN).

Question 20

Per capita rate of increase (r)

Answer 20

The average contribution of each individual to population growth for the time interval. Per capita means “per person.”

Question 21

G

Answer 21

Growth rate of the population.

Question 22

N

Answer 22

Population size.

Question 23

Exponential growth model

Answer 23

Gives an idealized picture on the unlimited population growth. Indeal conditions and unlimited resources causes exponential growth (J shape curve).

Question 24

Logistic growth

Answer 24

The rapid growth of a population is slowed and eventually stopped because of limiting factors and the carrying capacity is met. (G=rN(K-N)/K).

Question 25

K

Answer 25

Carrying capacity (cc).

Question 26

Logistic growth model

Answer 26

Description of idealized population growth that is slowed by limiting factors as the population size increases (S shaped curve).

Question 27

Limiting factors

Answer 27

Environmental factors that restrict/interfere with population growth (hunting, breeding, space availability, reduced resources, increased predation).

Question 28

Carrying capacity

Answer 28

The maximum population size that a particular environment can sustain.

Question 29

Density-dependent factors

Answer 29

Limiting factors whose intensity is related to population density (ex. disease, availability of space for hiding or reproduction, competition, crowning casuing stress, parasitism, predation/herbivory).

Question 30

Intraspecific competition

Answer 30

Competition between individuals of the same species for limited resources.

Question 31

Interspecific competition

Answer 31

Competition between individuals that are not in the same species for limited resources.

Question 32

Density-independent factors

Answer 32

A population-limiting factor whose intensity is unrelated to population density (ex. natural disasters, unusual weather, human activity/habitat destruction, sesonal cycles/changes).

Question 33

Boom period

Answer 33

A period of exponential growth in a population (low predation and high levels of prey, or high levels of prey and high predation).

Question 34

Bust period

Answer 34

A period of a massive decline in a population and it goes back to a minimal level (high predation and low levels of prey, or low levels of prey and low predation).

Question 35

Predation

Answer 35

When an animal hunts and kills another organism for food.

Question 36

Herbivory

Answer 36

When a herbivore grazes on a plant.

Question 37

Sustainable resource management

Answer 37

Practices that allow use of a natural resource without damaging it.

Question 38

Sustainable

Answer 38

Can keep going and kept forever.

Question 39

Unsustainable

Answer 39

Cannot keep going and kept forver.

Question 40

Demography

Answer 40

The study of populations and what affects them.

Question 41

Demographic transition

Answer 41

A shift from birth rates and death rates that are high but roughly equal to birth and death rates that are low but roughly equal.

Question 42

Age structure

Answer 42

(of a population) The number of individuals in different age-groups.

Question 43

Fertility rate

Answer 43

The average number of children produced by a woman over her lifetime.

Question 44

Population momentum

Answer 44

The increased proportion of women of childbearing age in the population (0-14 girls growing up to 15-49 women that reproduce). The momentum of reproduction is hard to stop and takes years to slow down (Can be related to a freight train).

Question 45

Ecological footprint

Answer 45

An estimate of the land and water area required to provide the resources an individual or a nation consumes (food, fuel, housing, and the absorption of waste).

Question 46

Biocapacity

Answer 46

Earth's capacity to renew resources.

Question 47

Sustainability

Answer 47

The goal of developing, managing, and conserving Earth's resources in ways that meet the needs of people today without compromising the ability of future generations to meet theirs.

Question 48

Carbon footprint

Answer 48

The emission of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. It is the largest component of humanity's ecological footprint (through breathing, car emisions, etc.).

Question 49

gha

Answer 49

Global hectares.