Population Ecology Lecture Notes

These flashcards cover key terms and concepts from the Population Ecology lecture, focusing on definitions, mechanisms, and dynamics related to population studies.

Population

A group of individuals from the same species that live in the same area at the same time.

Population Ecology

The study of how and why the number of individuals in a population changes over time.

Geographic Distribution

The arrangement of individuals in a geographic area which is influenced by abiotic and biotic factors.

Proximate Causes

Physiological and behavioral mechanisms that directly explain population distribution patterns.

Ultimate Causes

Evolutionary adaptations that provide long-term explanations for population distribution patterns.

Demography

The study of populations, including the number of individuals and their age structure.

Fecundity

The number of female offspring produced by each female in a population.

Life History

How an individual allocates resources for growth, reproduction, and survival-related activities.

Age Class

A group of individuals of a specific age within a population.

Survivorship Curve

A plot showing the proportion of offspring that survive to a particular age.

Intrinsic Rate of Increase (rmax)

The maximum possible per capita rate of increase for a population.

Carrying Capacity

The maximum number of individuals a habitat can support.

Density-Dependent Factors

Factors that impact population size based on population density, such as competition and predation.

Metapopulation

Populations of populations that are connected by migration, maintaining a balance between extinction and recolonization.

Age Pyramid

A graphical representation of the age structure of a population.

Bottom-Up Hypothesis

Suggests that food availability controls population dynamics.

Top-Down Hypothesis

Posits that predation controls population dynamics.