Population Stability

Question 1

What is population stability?

Answer 1

• natality is equal to mortality over a period of time
• The size of a population can be regarded as stable and constant because of the impact of environmental resistance
• Seasonal changes play a very important role

Question 2

Define Biotic Potential

Answer 2

The ability of a population of a particular species to propagate under ideal environmental conditions - sufficient food supply, no diseases, and no predators

Question 3

What 2 factors determine biotic potential?

Answer 3

an organism’s rate of reproduction and its litter size -the number of offspring produced at one birth

Question 4

—- organisms have lower biotic potential? Explain your answer using an example

Answer 4

Large

Large mammals produce one offspring per year or breeding season. On the other hand, insects produce thousands of offspring per year.

Question 5

What is environmental resistance?

Answer 5

• factors that limit the biotic potential of an organism
• abiotic and biotic factors that limit the organism from endlessly increasing its population

Question 6

What is the carrying capacity?

Answer 6

maximum population of a species an ecosystem can sustain indefinitely without being degraded due to deterioration and damage

Question 7

Name 5 factors that affect carrying capacity

Answer 7

food supply, competition, seasonal weather patterns and impact of disease

Question 8

Differentiate between population population regulation and population stability

Answer 8

Regulation: tendency of a population to return to its equilibrium

Stability: tendency of a population to remain at a constant size