Population Ecology

What is the definition of a population?

Members of a species in a time/place

How does one calculate the intrinsic rate of population growth (r)?

The intrinsic rate of population growth( r ) is equal to the rate of births (b) minus death (d)

r=(b-d)

What is the equation for exponential population growth?

dN/dT= (b-d)N= rN

How does the rate of population growth (dN/dT) change with population size (N) in this

equation?

What is the logistic growth equation for populations? Be sure that you are able to understand the equation’s components, and able to write it out from memory

dN/dT = (b-d)N(K-N)/K

What is the role of carry capacity (K) in the logistic growth equation? What happens to

population growth rate (dN/dt) when the population size (N) is greater than or less than the

carrying capacity (K)? Why does this make sense in terms of the definition of K?

What is the difference between type I, II and III life histories (survivorship curves)

Type l: most individuals survive to and old age, with most individuals dying at similar ages.

Type ll: most individuals die young, but those individuals that survive youth can live to a very old age

Type lll: species are intermediate, with substantial mortality happening through the life stage, there is a substantial chance of dying during youth, but also substantial chance of dying during middle age.