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APES > X - Population Dynamics, Carrying Capacity, & Conservation Biology > Flashcards

X - Population Dynamics, Carrying Capacity, & Conservation Biology Flashcards

1
Q

Population dynamics

A

Changes in population size, density, dispersion, & age

distribution

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2
Q

Characteristics of Populations includes

A

Population size
Population density
Dispersion
Age structure

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3
Q

Population size

A

number of individuals in a population at a given time

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4
Q

Population desnity

A

number of individuals per unit area in terrestrial ecosystems or per unit volume in aquatic ecosystems;

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5
Q

Dispersion

A

spatial patterning individuals

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6
Q

Age structure

A

proportion of individuals in each age group (e.g., prereproductive, reproductive, & post-reproductive) of a population

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7
Q

In terms of dispersion, individuals of a population can be

A

Clumped
Uniform
Randomly distributed

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8
Q

Population size is governed by

A

births, deaths, immigration, and emigration

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9
Q

[Population Change] =

A

[Births + Immigration] – [Deaths + Emigration]

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10
Q

Zero population growth occurs when

A

the number of individuals added by births & immigration are balanced by those lost by deaths &
emigration

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11
Q

Biotic potential

A

a population’s capacity to grow

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12
Q

intrinsic rate of growth (r)

A

the rate at which a population will grow if it had unlimited resources

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13
Q

Biotic growth factors

A 
High reproductive rate
Generalized niche
Adequate food supply
Suitable habitat
Ability to compete for resources
Ability to hide from/defend against predators
Ability to resist diseases & parasites
Ability to migrate & live in other habitats
Ability to adapt to env'tal change
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14
Q

Abiotic growth factors

A

favorable light
favorable temperature
favorable chemical env’t

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15
Q

Biotic decrease factors

A 
low reproductive rate
specialized niche
inadequate food supply
unsuitable habitat
inability to compete for resources
inability to hide from/defend against predators
inability to resist diseases & parasites
inability to migrate & live in other habitats
inability to adapt to env'tal change
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16
Q

Abiotic decrease factors

A

Too much/ little light
Temp too high/low
Unfavorable chemical env’t

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17
Q

carrying capacity (K)

A

the number of individuals that can be sustained in a given space

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18
Q

if the carrying capacity for an organism is

exceeded,

A

resources are depleted, environmental degradation results, & the population declines

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19
Q

Exponential growth occurs when

A

resources are not limiting.

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20
Q

Logistic growth occurs

when

A

resources become more and more limiting as population size increases.

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21
Q

During exponential growth,

A

population size increases faster & faster with time

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22
Q

Currently the human population is…

A

undergoing exponential growth

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23
Q

exponential growth can not occur forever because

A

eventually some factor limits population growth

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24
Q

when the population is small the logistic population growth

curve looks like

A

exponential growth

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25
What occurs when the carrying capacity is exceeded?
"overshoot" was followed by a "population crash". | Numbers then stabilized, with oscillation about the carrying capacity.
26
Stable populations
Relatively constant over time
27
Cyclic curves
often associated with seasons or fluctuating resource availability
28
Irruptive curves
characteristic of species that only have high numbers for | only brief periods of times (e.g., seven–year cicada)
29
Two categories of strategies
r-strategist | K-strategist
30
r–strategist species
tend to live in recently disturbed (early successional) environments where resources are not limiting such species tend to have high intrinsic rates of growth (high r)
31
K–strategist species
tend to live in environments where resources are limiting (later succession) & tend to have lower intrinsic rates of growth and characteristics that enable them to live near their carry capacity (population size near K)
32
Characteristics of | r–strategists
production of many small & unprotected young, enable these species to live in places where resources are temporarily abundant typically "weedy" or opportunistic.
33
r-strategist example
Cockroach | Dandelion
34
Characteristics of | K–strategists,
production of few large & well cared for young, enable these species to live in places where resources are limited typically good competitors.
35
K-strategists example
elephants | saguaro
36
Types of survivorship curves
Late loss Constant loss Early loss
37
late loss
usually K–strategists high mortality is late in life
38
late loss examples
rhinos | humans
39
constant loss
mortality is about the same for any age;
40
Constant loss example
songbirds
41
early loss
usually r–strategists high mortality is early in life.
42
early loss examples
fish | frogs
43
Conservation biology
interdisciplinary science that deals with problems of maintaining Earth's biodiversity, including genetic, species, & ecosystem components of life
44
Conservation
sensible use of natural resources by humans
45
Three underlying principles of conservation
- biodiversity & ecological integrity are useful & necessary for life & should not be reduced by human activity; - humans should not cause or hasten premature extinction of populations & species; - the best way to preserve biodiversity & ecological integrity is to protect intact intact ecosystems & sufficient habitat.
46
Ensuring viable populations of wild species ultimately requires
protection of sufficient suitable habitat.
47
Habitat fragmentation
process by which human activity breaks natural ecosystems into smaller & smaller pieces of land
48
habitat fragments
Small islands of land caused by habitat fragmentation
49
One concern about remaining habitat is
Whether it is of sufficient size & quality to maintain viable populations of wild species
50
Corridors
long areas of land that connect habitat that otherwise would be fragmented
51
What is the importance of corridors?
corridors permit movement of migratory animals and ensure interbreeding of plant & animal populations
52
What is a criticism of corridors?
may be too narrow to be of value
53
Corridor example
corridor of protected land between protected lowland rain forest of La Selva Biological Station, Costa Rica, & mountain habitat of Braulio Carrillo National Park protects biodiversity by ensuring that species can migrate up & down the mountains
54
Bioinformatics
management of biological information.
55
What is bioinformatics important to conservation biology?
• good conservation biology requires good information • increasingly conservation efforts require building computer databases concerning biodiversity
56
Major human impacts on ecosystems includes
• fragmenting & degrading habitat; • simplifying natural ecosystems; • strengthening some populations of pest species and disease–causing bacteria by speeding natural selection & causing genetic resistance through overuse of pesticides & antibiotics; • eliminating some predators; • deliberately or accidentally introducing new species; • overharvesting potentially renewable resources; • interfering with chemical cycling & energy flows.
57
living systems have six key features
interdependence, diversity, resilience, adaptability, unpredictability, & limits;
58
Most ecosystems use
sunlight as major energy source
59
energy is always required to
produce or maintain energy flow or to recycle chemicals;
60
Ecosystems replenish | Ecosystems dispose
Nutrients | Wastes
61
In an ecosystem what are renewed?
soil, water, air, plants, & animals are renewed
62
complex networks of positive & negative feedback loops operate within
natural systems, whether in individual organism, populations, or whole ecosystems;
63
population size & growth rate of all species are controlled by
interactions with other species & the nonliving environment.
64
biodiversity takes forms of
genes, species, and ecosystems
65
our lives, lifestyles, & economies are dependent on the
sun and earth
66
we are part of, not apart from
Earth's dynamic web of life
67
Global CPR
conservation preservation restoration
68
Can we restore damaged ecosystems?
In some cases
69
Natural restoration
Relatively slow Repair & protect ecosystems Considerable effort & expense Requires solid understanding of ecology
70
Natural restoration example
in Sacramento, California, rancher Jim Callender restored a wetland by reshaping land and handplanting native plants; many of the native plants & animals are now thriving there
71
It is not possible to undo all ecological harm
Such as in cases of extinction

APES (26 decks)

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