Unit 2: Population Growth Flashcards
Exponential Growth is density ___________.
independent
What is Exponential Growth?
accelerating growth pattern seen in populations under conditions where resources are NOT limiting
Exponential growth has an _____ population growth rate.
accelerating
What is Population Growth Rate?
number of organisms added in each reproductive generation
When does exponential growth occur?
It happens in nature when there is NO intraspecific competition, such as:
- new population
- after a bottleneck
- increase in resources
- decrease in predation
How do you calculate exponential growth rate?
dN/dT = rN
(r = intrinsic rate of increase
N = population size
T = time
d = derivative)
What do the values of r mean?
neg: decreasing N
0: zero population growth
pos: increasing N
Why does the potential for growth vary among species?
This is because of the variation in Life History traits.
- high potential growth rate: r - selection strategy
- low potential growth rate: K - selection strategy
What is Biotic Potential (max)?
maximal potential growth rate of a species
How do you calculate maximum growth for a species?
dN/dT = rmaxN
What is Logistic Growth?
leveling off of exponential growth due to limiting resources
What is Carrying Capacity?
(K) number of individuals of a species that can be supported by the limited resources of a habitat
As N approached K, the growth of the population ___.
slows
On a graph, the Malthusian catastrophe passes the carrying capacity of the population size.
True
How do you calculate logistic growth?
dN/dT = rmaxN * (K-N)/K
