Population Regulation Flashcards
What are the abiotic factors of a habitat?
- Light availability
- Water availability
- Nutrient availability
- pH
What are the biotic factors of a habitat?
- Food availability
- Presence of predators
- Pollination
- Seed dispersal
What is carrying capacity?
The maximum population size that an area can sustainably support
Which 2 types of factors affect population size?
- Density dependent factors
- Density independent factors
What is a density dependent factor?
A factor affecting population size whose effect increases as population density increases
What is a density independent factor?
A factor affecting population size whose effect does not increase as population density increases
What are some examples of density dependent factors?
- Food availability
- Disease
- Resource competition
What are some examples of density independent factors?
- Temperature change
- Flooding
- Drought
What is the pattern of a sigmoidal population growth curve?
- Population rises in a fresh setting
- Rises rapidly
- Plateaus then fluctuates
What happens when a population reaches carrying capacity?
Stable fluctuating phase
How do predators and prey control population size?
Self-regulation
What are 3 examples of artificial population control?
- CBR programmes
- Removal/introduction of invasive species
- Culling (e.g. deer)
What is an r-selected species?
A species that responds quickly to a decline in population
What is a k-selected species?
A species that responds slowly to a decline in population
What are the characteristics of r-selected species?
- Reach sexual maturity quickly
- Produce many offspring
- Contribute few resources to their offspring
