Species abundance and distributions

Question 1

What is type 1 survivorship?

Answer 1

When there are larger young populations and smaller old populations, e.g. humans

Question 2

What is type 2 survivorship?

Answer 2

When there are equal populations of all age groups, e.g. field voles and golden eagles

Question 3

What is type III survivorship?

Answer 3

There are more older populations than younger populations, e.g. frogs and mayflies

Question 4

What is species richness?

Answer 4

A measure of the variety of species based on a count of the number of species.

Question 5

What’s species abundance?

Answer 5

The number of individuals of a particular species

Question 6

What’s the distribution abundance relationship?

Answer 6

Habitat specialists have a higher abundance at fewer sites than generalists which have a wider range of sites.

Question 7

What are generalist species?

Answer 7

Species which have broad niches, can tolerate a broad set of environmental conditions, they are widespread and use a wide range of resources

Question 8

What are specialist species?

Answer 8

Species which have narrow niches and can only tolerate a small set of environmental conditions.

Question 9

What was the MacArthur-Wilson theory of biogeography?

Answer 9

As new species immigrate, the rate of immigration slows and extinction of current species increases.

Question 10

What do fragmented populations depend on?

Answer 10

The size of the habitat, the distance between suitable habitats and the other species involved.